full information about the artificial eye

1. More than 90% of individuals who suddenly lose sight in one eye do not receive in¬formation from their physician regarding the
functional implications of their new monocular status. Nor do they, or their family, receive community-based support or advice
concerning home and workplace modifications, alternative work programs, or career counseling. Despite this, most newly
monocular individuals usually learn to compensate for their disability and resume their previous work and daily activities.
The recovery period (adaptation) from the sudden loss of one eye is typically 1 year or less. Those who experience a sudden
loss of vision in one eye re¬quire more time to adapt to their monocular status than those who lose their vision gradually. If
peripheral vision in the affected eye is preserved, adaptation time is usually much shorter.
In cases of severe eye injury, eye cancer or another serious disease of the eye, it may be impossible to save the eye and the
eyeball must be surgically removed. The most common type of procedure to remove a badly damaged or diseased eye is
called enucleation.
Once the affected eye is surgically removed, the person undergoing the enucleation procedure typically is fitted with a
custom- made prosthetic eye (ocular prosthesis).
Patient information-ocular prosthetics service Care of your prosthetic eye
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frequently asked questions
This flayer aims to provide specialist information and guidance for patients before and after having their eye removed (
enucleation/ evisceration), or who are undergoing secondary ball implant surgery, dermis fat graft surgery or any other revision of
socket surgery. If you have any further questions after reading this leaflet,
All that need to know about artificial Eye

2. Frequently Asked Questions
A: How soon can I get my new prosthetic eye after surgery?
Q: recommend a time frame that suits your specific condition. However, we find it is generally within 4 to 6 weeks post-surgery. .
A: How frequently do I need a new prosthetic eye made?
Q: Your first prosthetic eye fitted after the initial surgery will last approximately 12 months due to changes happening to your eye
socket after surgery. The implant can settle further back into the socket, creating a larger cavity for the prosthesis. As this may
cause your eyelid to start to close over the prosthesis, a larger eye needs to be fitted. After this settling period, a new eye is
generally required every 3 years for optimum cosmetic appeal
A: How many visits with you will I have?
Q: For the initial or replacement custom ocular prosthetic we can accomplish the fabrication and fitting in about 4-5
appointments over the course of 2 consecutive days. This may vary slightly, depending on your unique situation. Each
appointment lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour
A: Is there pain involved in the process?
Q: Not! In fact, you will find the whole process quite fascinating.
A: I have heard of 'pegged' or 'integrated' implants. What are they?
Q: Some types of implants are porous. These materials allow for the in-growth of tissue into the implant. Occasionally, a small ' peg' is
fitted into the implant by the ophthalmologist which can provide a greater degree of movement to the prosthesis . Due to numerous
complications that arose, this pegging procedure is rarely performed nowadays.
A: What material is used in manufacture the prosthetic?
Q: Eye prosthesis are made using dimensionally stable, medical quality PMMA Acrylic. This is the same material used in some
hip replacements and related procedures and it is very bio-compatible after being surgically inserted into the body; therefore,
allergies to the material are highly unlikely.
A: What do I do if I have irritation, swelling, or pain?
Q: If you are experiencing pain that is related to the prosthesis, please contact us immediately. If you are experiencing general
irritation, discharge, and discomfort with your eye socket please contact your ophthalmologist immediately.
Q: How often should visit Yamout center?
A: We recommend seeing every six months. This allows us to inspect and evaluate the eye to see if there is any change to the fit or
appearance. At that time, we can re-surface the prosthesis to give it that wet, life-like appearance again or we can adjust the eye to
better fit your socket and improve the cosmesis.
Q: What should I look for to see if I need an adjustment or build-up?
A: As we age our eye socket changes just like the rest of our body. Because our artificial eye is a solid shape it must be
adjusted or built-up to compensate for this change. The most frequent adjustment we see in our clinic is the eye has become too
small. What you will see is the upper eyelid will start to look droopy, especially later in the day, as you get tired. It will appear
more closed than your other eye and this is an indication you should make an appointment to see your Ocularist. If you follow
our six-month appointment cycle, we can evaluate your artificial eye and make any adjustments necessary in order to keep it
looking its very best.
A: The artificial eye movement should I expect.
Q: This is dependent on how your eye was lost, but we aim for conversational movement. So, as you are talking to someone,
your eyes can move from one shoulder to the other shoulder. Your head tends to turn when looking in the direction of your
artificial eye, due to vision restriction.

3. A: What happens if I lose or break my prosthesis?
Q: Do not wear a prosthesis that has been broken or chipped. This will cause discomfort and may lead to injury of the socket
. If lost or broken, it is recommended to call right away to determine if a new prosthesis or adjustment is needed. For custom
ocular prosthesis fit after an eye had been removed, the socket should only remain empty for a short period of time.
A: How does an artificial eye move?
Q: movement as well as twisting motions between these directions. Your artificial eye moves by using these same muscles
attached to an implant instead of your real eye. At the time of surgery, as your live eye is removed an implant roughly the
same size as your eyeball is placed in the same position. These muscles are then re-attached to this implant. To
encapsulate this implant in the socket, the thin membrane of tissue in your socket is sutured closed. This is where we come
in. During the making of your artificial eye, we take an impression of your socket which allows the artificial eye to fit the
implants' contours precisely. As your implant moves, this precision fit allows the artificial eye to track around the same as
your live eye.
After washing your hands, wash your prosthesis with warm running water and liquid soap, washing up liquid or simple soap
and rinse thoroughly.
Holding the prosthesis between thumb and second finger of your dominant hand, rest your index finger on the centre of the
prosthesis, making sure that the dots are visible. Put a second finger of your other hand on the centre of the eyelash and lift
the upper lid.
Look down and insert the dotted edge of the shell under the lid. When the prosthesis is half way in, let go of the top lid, but
still hold the prosthesis in position with the finger of your dominant hand.
Look up and gently pull down the lower lid with the other hand. Push the prosthesis up slightly until the prosthesis slips over
the lower lid. The prosthesis is now in place. If it feels uncomfortable, look in the mirror and ensure that the position is
correct. If it is rotated gently put a finger onto the surface of the prosthesis and rotate it by stroking the front. Figure 6 below
demonstrates this.
Removing the prosthesis
There are three main ways to remove your prosthesis. Your ocularist will demonstrate the best way for you.
Using a silicone extractor
After washing your hands, remove the extractor from its container and wash and moisten the cup end. Gently push the cup
onto the centre of your prosthesis. Check that it has stuck to the surface. If it has not, moisten it again and ensure that it is
placed centrally on the prosthesis. Gently raise the lower edge of the prosthesis from behind the lower lid, pull the
extractor forward and with a downwards motion (see figure 7 below). The prosthesis should come out attached to the
extractor. Separate the extractor and the prosthesis, wash them both and keep them both safe in their respective
containers.
Figure 7

4. Removing an artificial eye
First ensure you wash your hands.
Do not look in a mirror. Look up. Gently push the lower lid down with your index finger until the lower ledge of the prosthesis
emerges. Then look down.
The prosthesis will slide down over your index finger – make sure you catch it with your spare hand. Wash both your hands
and the prosthesis, and either re- insert or place in its container. Figure 8 below demonstrates this method.
Figure 8
Artificial Eye Care
Looking after your artificial eye
It is important to keep your artificial eye clean at all times. This section tells you how to do this. The first few times you do it
you will probably be a bit nervous – most people are. You will soon find that you are able to do it simply and comfortably.
If you have any problems at all looking after your eye please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on our Helpline on +
9611377238.
How does my eye become dirty?
It is normal to have a certain amount of discharge in your socket, this varies from one person to the next. It can be worse in
very cold weather or for instance if you are not well.
If you work in a dirty or dusty atmosphere you may be likely to suffer more discharge than someone who works in a cleaner
atmosphere.
How often should I clean my eye?
There are no set rules about this. If you have a lot of discharge from your socket you may need to clean it more often. It is up
to you to decide, however we recommend that the eye is worn continuously with only a very occasional need for removal for
cleaning.
Do
Wash your Artificial Eye with a mild soap and clean water, then rinse, ensuring all soap is rinsed away.
Rub firmly with a wet tissue and dry it with a clean lint-free cloth or tissues.
Don’t
Don’t Use alcohol or any chemical cleaner as even a small amount of residue can cause irritation and
damage to the eye. Water or a contact lens cleaner are best.
Don’t use hairspray, aftershave, perfume or peroxide near your eye, as these also cause irritation.

5. Storing the Prosthetic Eye
If the prosthesis must be left out of the eye socket overnight or longer for any reason, store it in
water to which a bit of salt (1/4 teaspoon to a cup of water) has been added. The eye can be
stored in any good contact lens soaking solution. If the plastic eye is allowed to dry out, the
layers might separate at the painted surface. Keeping it wet prevents this.
Yamout Artificial Eye, we recommend a number of different cleaning agents to aid in the
removal of surface deposits on the prosthetic eye. The first product we would suggest is baby
shampoo. This type of cleaner is both gentle on your socket chemistry, and effective at
breaking down the mucous deposits. Our next suggestion would be to soak your prosthetic eye
in a any solution of contact lens . Please make sure that you rinse the prosthesis very well
before reinserting it.
Along with keeping your prosthetic eye clean, your eyelashes and eyelids must also be kept free
of mucous build-up. These protein deposits can become an uncomfortable irritant and possibly
lead to infection.
As a warning, please do not use any products that contain alcohol, harsh chemical solvents, or
antibacterial soap on your artificial eye. These cleaners will penetrate into the acrylic plastic,
causing contamination, prolonged discomfort, and deterioration of the prosthesis.
If you must store your prosthesis, it is best to use the provided case available at our office.
Please avoid leaving the prosthetic eye anywhere that it can be damaged or lost. If you prefer
to take your prosthetic eye out at night, we recommend that you let it soak in a soft contact lens
solution. This is not required, but it will help keep the prosthesis moist and comfortable upon
reinsertion. If you have any questions regarding your specific treatment plan, contact us today
to speak with your ocularist. We are happy to answer any of your concerns.
Importance of a Prosthetic Eye Polishing
Prosthetic Eye Polish by Taly Yamout at Yamout Artificial Eye recommends that your
prosthetic eye be professionally polished every six months, or sooner if necessary.
Most patients that are in need of a professional polish when they have one or more of the
following symptoms: irritated or itchy eyelids, increased discharge, and an overall change in
the cosmetic appearance.
A professional polish, will restore the prosthetic eye’s comfort and appearance by removing
protein deposits, bacteria, and surface scratches. A six month check-up is the health of your
eye socket and the fit of your prosthetic eye. As a reminder, this is the best time to discuss with
our ocularist any concerns you may have with your prosthetic eye. We want you to be
completely satisfied with every aspect of your prosthesis at Yamout Artificial Eye; we always
welcome your input in achieving this goal.

6. What do I have to be aware of when at work?
ln most cases, the wearing of a prosthetic eye doesn’t impose additional limitations on you at work. If,
for instance, you work at the computer, you’ll see that the artificial eye – just like the healthy eye – will
possibly get dry quicker. For both eyes, you can use the same eye drops for this complaint. There are
no specific safety precautions for laboratory work either. Protect your artificial eye simply just as you
would your healthy eye.
If you work at a trade and are more exposed to dust, this may lead to the prosthetic eye wearing out
quicker.
Are Eye Drops Necessary?
When should I use eye drops? Are they even necessary?
Sometimes eye lubricating drops are needed. The majority of persons do not need to use special
lubrication when they have been fitted by the modified impression method.
However, a small percentage of artificial eye wearers have fewer tears than necessary In such cases
there is considerable friction as the eyelids open and close, rubbing against the hard plastic surface.
This can cause discomfort and enough disturbance of the eyelid tissues to give infections an easy
start.
Those persons with dry eye sockets, whose eyelids close completelywhen they blink and when they
sleep can use aqueous lubricating solutions such as artificial tears. There are several brands in drug
stores, which may be tried. It is not possible to make specific recommendations because personal
reactions to each varies so much. A lubricant which is very helpful to one person is often irritating or
otherwise objectionable to other persons. Each prosthetic wearer must discover for himself which
lubricant is most helpful.
For dry sockets where the eyelids do not close during sleep, oily lubricants are needed because
aqueous solutions evaporate and form hard, dry films across the front of the eyes which become
irritated during blinking.
Your ophthalmologist may prescribe other special drops for infections, allergies, etc.

7. Tears in the Artificial Eye Socket
Coating the inner and outer surfaces of the artificial eye is a tear film. People normally blink the eyelids
about every six seconds to replenish this tear film. Tears have four main functions on the artificial eye:
wetting the conjunctival lining of the socket, preventing damage due to dryness,
creating a smooth optical surface on the front of the microscopically irregular acrylic surface,
providing lubrication and acting as a vehicle to remove debris from the prosthetic surface, and
containing an enzyme called “lysozyme” which destroys bacteria.
The tear film resting on the prosthetic surface has three layers:
Lipid layer,
Aqueous Layer, and
Mucin Layer.
The top layer of the tear film is the lipid or oily layer. This layer prevents the aqueous layer beneath it
from evaporating, as well as preventing the tears from flowing over the edge of the lower eyelid.
Below the lipid layer is located the aqueous layer of the tear film. This middle layer is the thickest of the
three tear layers. The aqueous fluid contains salts, proteins and lysozyme.
The bottom layer is the mucin layer. This layer adheres to the “hydrophobic” (water-repelling) acrylic
surface of the prosthesis. Therefore, for a tear layer to be able to remain on the prosthetic surface
without rolling off, the “hydrophilic” (water-attracting) mucin layer is necessary.
A deficiency of any of the three layers of the tear film can lead to a “dry eye” condition, causing anything
from mild eye irritation to severe pain. Interestingly, in some cases, excessive tearing or watering of the
eyes can be a symptom of a dry eye condition. This is because when, for whatever reason, there is an
inadequate normal tear layer on the eye, irritation results; the latter causes an overproduction of the
lacrimal gland and a flooding of lacrimal fluid into the eye.