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!