Custom Made Ocular Prosthesis (Artificial Eye)
‘Eyes are windows to soul’ and they are generally the first features of the face to be noted. An important component of facial expression, the vital organ of vision has been given a paramount status for beauty. The loss or absence of the eye, due to irreparable trauma, tumor, a painful blind eye, sympathetic ophthalmic, or a congenital defect leaves a person grabbling not only with a functional disability but also with cosmetic disfigurement & lack of confidence. An ocular defect also affects a person psychologically. An ocular prosthesis is given to uplift the patient psychologically and improve the confidence. Ocular prosthesis can be custom made or stock shell. An Ocular prosthesis is an artificial substitute for an ophthalmic socket. A prosthesis which adopts well improves the psychological state of the patient and also increases the patient’s confidence level and aesthetic value. A stock Ocular prosthesis can be given for a patient when time limitation exists and cost factor is taken into consideration. But many disadvantages exist in a stock ocular prosthesis, such as ill-fitting, improper shade matching, continuous discharge and so on, whereas custom-made ocular prosthesis increases the adaptiveness, movement of the eyeball and exactly matches the iris position as that of the adjacent natural eye. To improve the comfort and matching of the prosthesis with that of the adjacent natural eye & for psychological rehabilitation of the person, custom-made ocular prosthesis is preferred.
Custom-made ocular prosthesis is made by taking impression of the patient’s socket with the help of alginate. It is made from high density medical grade polymethyl metha acrylate (PMMA). As CMOP is made with impression technique, the back surface of the prosthesis exactly matches with the tissue structure in the socket, More movements are seen with CMOP as both the surfaces matches with each other .
There is no space between back surface & tissue structure hence there is no space for the accumulation of the discharge hence patient using CMOP have virtually no or less discharge. As there is no or less discharge patient can wear it for the longer period of time. CMOP is closely matching to the natural eye. The weight of CMOP is equally distributed all over the tissue structure in the socket.
There are no complications such as lower lid sagging, inverted fonix and contracted socket etc faced in patients using CMOP. As CMOP closely matches to the natural eye, the discharged patient feels confident while moving around the society which in turn helps in socio- psychological rehabilitation of the patient.
