TOP 8 ADVANTAGES OF CHOOSING OCULAR PROSTHETICS FOR EYE RESTORATION

March 22, 2024

Our eyes are not just our visual organs; they also play a crucial role in shaping our facial features. However, losing an eye due to an accident or disease can be incredibly challenging, significantly impacting our appearance and confidence. 

Fortunately, we have a modern and innovative solution called ocular prosthetics, which provides us with an opportunity to restore our appearance and regain a sense of normalcy. 

In this comprehensive blog, we'll explore what ocular prosthetics are, when you should consider an ocular prosthesis procedure, and the top 10 advantages of choosing an ocular prosthesis for eye restoration. We'll delve into how these custom-made devices contribute to improved aesthetics, comfort, and overall well-being.

What Is Ocular Prosthesis

Ocular prosthesis are typically made of high-quality medical-grade plastic acrylic. This material is very popular for its durability, lightweight properties, and ability to be molded into intricate shapes. 

These prosthetic eyes are carefully crafted to mimic the color, shape, and size of your natural eye, providing them with a realistic and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Modern acrylic materials have replaced traditional materials like glass, offering a more comfortable and durable solution for individuals seeking eye restoration.

When You Need Ocular Prosthetics 

According to Moorfields Eye Charity, over 8 million people worldwide wear a prosthetic eye. There are various reasons why you may find the need for an eye prosthesis, especially if your eye is damaged beyond repair or poses health risks. If your non-functioning eye cannot be saved and can become a concern in the future, surgical removal becomes a viable option. There are two primary procedures for eye removal

• Evisceration: In this procedure, most of your eye and its contents are removed, leaving only the white of the eye and connected muscles.

• Enucleation: During this procedure, your entire eye is removed, and the associated muscles are resewn to a spherical implant.

Some very common reasons for eye removal include injury, cancer, infection, or severe eye pain, such as that caused by neovascular glaucoma. If you are facing any of these conditions, an eye prosthesis can be the option you can opt for. This custom-made device not only restores the natural appearance of your eye but also helps maintain facial symmetry. 

To make an informed decision, you must consult with a healthcare professional who can guide you in determining whether an eye prosthesis is the appropriate course of action for your specific situation or not.

Why Should You Consider Prosthetic Eye Implants 

Considering a prosthetic eye comes with numerous benefits if your eye is removed due to any unavoidable circumstances. Here, we outline 8 significant advantages.

1. Improve Aesthetics

Ocular prosthetics play a crucial role in enhancing the appearance of individuals who have lost an eye. Whether the loss occurred due to injury or disease, these prosthetics are designed to closely mimic your natural eye color and shape, helping you achieve a more symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing facial appearance.

2. Restoration of Facial Symmetry

Facial symmetry is an essential aspect of human perception of beauty. These prosthetics help to maintain your facial symmetry by filling the space left by a missing eye. This restoration of balance makes it less obvious that a person is missing one or both functioning eyes, alleviating your potential self-consciousness and improving overall confidence.

3. Comfort

Comfort is a key consideration in the design of ocular prosthetics. These custom-made devices are crafted to be lightweight and non-intrusive, ensuring minimal discomfort. The goal is to provide you with a prosthetic eye that feels natural and is easy to adapt to in daily life.

4. Customization

One significant advantage of prosthetic implants for eye restoration is their scope of customization. Each prosthetic eye is individually crafted to match your existing eye in terms of color, shape, and size. This level of personalization ensures that the prosthetic seamlessly blends with your natural eye and creates a harmonious and natural appearance.

5. Durability

These new-age prosthetics for the eye are made of high-quality medical-grade plastic acrylic, a material known for its durability. Unlike glass used in the past, acrylic offers a robust and long-lasting solution. This durability contributes to the longevity of your prosthetic eye. You need not require frequent replacements, which saves you from extra expenditure and post-surgical trauma.

6. Preservation of Eye Socket

Ocular implants and prosthetics serve a dual purpose—they restore the appearance of the eye and prevent the tissues in the eye socket from growing to fill the empty space. This preservation of the eye socket is crucial for maintaining the integrity of facial features.

7. Proper Eyelid Movements

The ocular implant, which is part of the prosthetic eye, supports proper eyelid functioning. This ensures that the eyelid moves naturally, helping with blinking and contributing to a more lifelike appearance.

8. Ease in Social Situations

A prosthetic eye can significantly ease social situations, especially for children. It helps individuals feel more confident in social interactions, reducing the potential for awkwardness or uncomfortable situations. This ease in social settings contributes to a more fulfilling and enjoyable life.

Conclusion

Ocular prosthetics have revolutionized the eye restoration process. They offer a comprehensive solution to the physical and emotional challenges associated with the loss of an eye. The advantages discussed, from improved aesthetics and comfort to customization and durability, highlight the positive impact that these prosthetics can have on the lives of those seeking eye restoration. 

Additionally, choosing a prosthetic eye not only restores your visual balance but also enhances your overall well-being, providing you with the opportunity to embrace life with renewed confidence and ease.
If you're looking for top-notch prosthetic solutions, choose Prosthetic Artists Inc. Our skilled team excels in fitting painted ocular prosthesis seamlessly after eye removal. With expertise in various implant types, we guarantee personalized and natural-looking results. Schedule an appointment with us today!

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR FINDING QUALITY OCULAR PROSTHETICS NEAR ME

February 12, 2024

The eyes are often called the windows to the soul, and losing an eye can feel like losing an essential part of yourself. This loss can be very hard to accept for someone. But for people who have lost one eye, ocular prosthetics do not just help them restore aesthetics; they help them regain confidence, reclaim normalcy, and embark on a unique journey of self-discovery.

This blog delves into the world of ocular prosthetics, offering a comprehensive guide for anyone seeking information on this topic. We'll explore the different types of prosthetics available, expectations during the fitting process, and the process of finding quality ocular prosthetics near you.

A Small Glimpse About Ocular Prosthetics

Before delving into the search for ocular prosthetics, let's understand what they are. Ocular prosthetics, also known as artificial eyes or ocular implants, are custom-made replacements for natural eyes. They are carefully made to look like real eyes in color and shape, giving a natural look.

The first evidence of people using artificial eyes goes way back to a woman discovered in Iran around 2900–2800 BC. Her artificial eye was round like a half-ball and was a little bigger than an inch across. It was made of a light material, likely a kind of paste called bitumen. The surface of the eye was covered with a thin layer of gold.

Why Quality Matters in Ocular Prosthetics?

When it comes to ocular prosthetics, quality is paramount. A well-made prosthetic eye not only looks realistic but also functions properly, allowing for comfortable wear and optimal movement. Plus, a top-notch prosthetic eye can make you feel more confident and better overall, especially if you're dealing with vision problems.

What Is A Prosthetic Eye Made of?

Imagine you've heard about prosthetic eyes, but you're not sure what they're made of. Well, in the past, they used to be made of glass, which is where the term "glass eye" comes from. But nowadays, most prosthetic eyes are made of a tough plastic called acrylic. 

The prosthetic eye is placed on top of an ocular implant. This implant is a small, hard, round object that is put into the eye socket through surgery and stays there permanently.

Reasons You May Need An Eye Prosthesis

When something happens to damage or completely remove an eye, like from an injury or disease, a prosthetic eye might be needed. Sometimes, if an eye can't be saved and might cause health problems, a surgeon might have to take it out. There are two main ways a surgeon can remove an eye:

• Evisceration: This is when most of the inside parts of the eye are taken out, leaving just the white part of the eye and some muscles.

• Enucleation: This is when the whole eye is removed. Then, the muscles around the eye are stitched onto a rounded implant.

Here are some common reasons why someone might need their eye removed:

• Injury: Like getting hit in the eye or having something sharp go into it.

• Cancer: If there's a tumor or cancer in the eye.

• Infection: When there's a serious infection in the eye that can't be fixed.

• Severe Eye Pain: Sometimes, conditions like neovascular glaucoma can cause intense eye pain that can't be relieved any other way.

If any of these things happen and the eye can't be saved, removing it and getting a prosthetic eye might be the best option for the person's health and comfort.

How To Find Ocular Prosthetics Near Me?

Now that we understand the importance of quality ocular prosthetics and when you need them, let's discuss how to find them near your location:

• Consult With Ophthalmologists

You should start by consulting with your ophthalmologist or eye care specialist. They can provide valuable insights and recommendations for reputable ocular prosthetic providers in your area. Additionally, they can assess your specific needs and guide you through the prosthetic fitting process.

• Research Online

You should use online resources to search for ocular prosthetic specialists near you. Check out websites and reviews to see what others say about different clinics or doctors. Make sure to pick someone with lots of experience, good qualifications, and who makes high-quality prosthetic eyes.

• Ask For Referrals

You should reach out to friends, family members, or support groups who may have experience with ocular prosthetics. They can offer personal recommendations and share their journey of finding a reliable provider. Don't hesitate to ask detailed questions about their experience and satisfaction with the prosthetic outcome.

• Schedule Consultations

Once you've made a list of possible places where you can get your ocular prosthetic, arrange meetings with them. When you meet, discuss what you need, any worries you have, and what you hope for. Also, use this time to check out the clinic, see how professional the staff is, and how good the prosthetist is at their job.

What To Expect During The Fitting Process?

After selecting reputable ocular prosthetics near you, you'll undergo a fitting process tailored to your needs. Here's what you can expect:

• First Check-up: The eye prosthetist will carefully check your eye socket and the area around it to understand its shape and size. This helps them figure out how to make the artificial eye fit well and give you proper comfort.

• Making Your New Eye: They'll use special technology or traditional methods to create a new prosthetic eye that looks like your real one. They'll ensure it's the right color, size, and shape.

• Fitting Your New Eye: Once your new prosthetic eye is ready, you'll have sessions where they fit it into place. They'll adjust it to ensure it feels comfortable and moves naturally with your other eye.

• Learning About Care: The ocular prosthetist will teach you how to take care of your new prosthetic eye. They'll show you how to keep it clean and handle it properly. If you have any questions or worries, they'll answer them.

• Keeping Up With Check-ups: After you get your new prosthetic eye, you'll need to go back to the ocular prosthetist regularly. They'll check how you're doing, fix any problems, and adjust your new eye if needed. This helps make sure everything stays just right.

Conclusion

The journey of finding quality ocular prosthetics near you may seem daunting, but with the right guidance and resources, it's entirely achievable. By consulting with experienced professionals, conducting research, and speaking up about what you need, you can get the right prosthetic eye and feel good about how you look and see.

Remember, you're not alone in this journey. So, without any delay, contact Prosthetic Artists, INC today and start your journey towards living life with confidence. We have been offering state-of-the-art ocular and facial prosthetic services in the Greater Sacramento area for over 50 years. To know more about us and our services, visit our official website.