Services
Painting a Prosthetic Eye
Painting this scleral shell took 1 hour and 15 minutes. Here is the paint condensed into 2 minutes.
We provide prosthetic solutions for the following cases:
Ocular Prostheses
Ocular Prosthesis
This is the most common solution for a patient with enucleated or eviscerated eyes. For the majority of our patients whose eye or contents of the eye are removed, and the lost volume is replaced with an implant, we fit them with a painted ocular prosthesis to match the appearance of the opposite eye. We work with many implant types and are experienced with pegged implants.
Scleral Shell
In cases where a non-functioning, disfigured eye remains in the orbit, such as phthisis bulbi, we fit the patients with a thin ocular prosthesis called a scleral shell. A scleral shell can be made as thin as 0.25mm.
Conformers for Pediatric Patients
Babies or small children with microphthalmic or anophthalmic sockets, or enucleated/eviscerated sockets should see us as soon as possible to be fitted with serially larger conformers, which are clear acrylic shapes that fit snugly into the socket space. Babies grow fast, so it is not ideal to fit them with color matched prostheses until they are older. However, serial conformers are extremely important in helping your child's skull develop symmetrically.
Custom Post Surgical Conformers
We can work with your surgeons to create post-surgical conformers prior to your surgery. They are clear acrylic shapes that are custom made to fit your socket, usually used by the surgeons after eyelid surgery. Typically generic shapes are used, but special cases require a custom shape. Your surgeon will likely contact us if this is the case. If you know that you will require a custom surgical conformer, please see us for a consultation prior to surgery.
Pressure Conformers for Patients with Socket Contraction
Scarring of socket tissues can results in socket contraction, making it difficult for a patient to retain a prosthesis in the socket. In some cases we are able to expand the socket by through the application of pressure using serially larger conformers.
Facial Prostheses
Orbital Prosthesis
When the entire contents of the orbit are removed (exenteration), including eyelids, we can create a silicone prosthesis that mimics the eyelids and holds a prosthetic eye in place. An orbital prosthesis can include eyelashes and eyebrows, but the eyelids do not blink and the eye does not move along with the opposite eye. Patients with deep sockets usually end up with better outcomes than patients with shallow sockets. Unfortunately, patients with extremely shallow sockets are not good candidates for orbital prostheses.
Auricular Prosthesis
We work with many congenital cases as well as patients who have lost an ear later in life. For our auricular cases, we use advanced 3D prototyping technology to create a matching shape for the ear, then hand paint them to match your skin tones. Using this method, we are able to achieve high quality of realism while reducing your appointment time.
Nasal Prosthesis
The majority of our nasal patients lost their nose due to trauma or disease. If the nose is not yet removed, we can take an impression prior to surgery and preserve the shape of your nose for the prosthesis. Alternatively, we can reference a relative's nose or your photos to restore your previous appearance. If none of these options are available, we will use your facial proportions to guide us as we sculpt. Our nasal prostheses are sculpted and painted by hand.
Implant-Retained Prostheses
Any of the above prostheses may have osseointegrated implant components. We are familiar with the Vistafix system and can create prostheses that fit onto your existing implant components.
Surgical Guide
For patients thinking about having implant-retained prostheses or feeling uncertain about which retention method that is right for you, we encourage you to see us for consultation as soon as possible. We can work together with you and your doctors to plan the implant positions right from the start, which will yield a much better aesthetic result.
Clear Edge Scleral Shell demonstration
