Prosthetic Eye

Prosthetic Eye 

What is eye replacement ?

In order to improve one’s apperance and to make him/her feel at comfort in order to allow the individual to maintain social life to the best eye replacements can be applied. There are several ways o follow depending on the eye’s condition after an accident or disease.

To start with, if the patients eye sphere’s shape and integrity is good, an exterior replacement such as a thin lid can be applied directly onto the eye. But because of the fact that normally front surface of the eye has a dense neural network that can feel pain, direct application of replacement onto the eye is only possible if there is sensation loss on eye surface.

An exterior replacement in the shape of lid, painted similar to the patients other eye colour and size of pupil is prepared and placed behind eyelids, over the eye. Exterior replacement moves in accordance with the patient’s own eye.

If the eye gives pain and discomfort to the patient, with evisceration surgery, the tissue that causes pain inside the eye is emptied and only outer white sleeve is preserved. After internal tissues of the eye are emptied, an interior replacement with same size of the eye is placed in order to fill the inner void. This interior replacement is made from materials that are completely compatible to human body such as silicon, acrylic and similar materials and after being placed during the surgery, they stay there throughout the whole life of the patient. Following the surgery, after waiting 4-6 weeks for healing period, exterior replacement that will fit the interior replacement like a lid is made. Exterior replacement that is made in accordance with other eye’s colour and size looks same as the other eye when looked from outside and also moves in the same direction as the other eye. Patient can remove and place the exterior replacement and maintain it by cleaning periodically. A well-made replacement is hard to distinguish unless looked from very close distance by non-expert people. Because of this reason replacement users feel comfortable in public and their social lives are affected positively.

Types of Prosthetic Eyes

Glass Eye Replacement

In glass replacements, it is not possible to take measurements of the socket, thus it is not possible to fully wholly suit. Moistening by teardrops characteristics are superior to acrylic replacements. It is quite hard to catch colour and shape harmony in ready-to-wear replacements. However glass is a good quality material. Once it is done, it cannot be replaced,thus if an adjustment is needed, a new one needs to be made. It is fragile, being effected by substances in teardrop in short term and loses its orderly shape and becomes rough. This situation is a cause of irritation in many eyes. When taken as a whole, its surface that loses its integrity in short time removes its surface advantage over acrylic replacements and thus, it does not have any superiority over acrylic replacements.

Personalized Prosthetic Eye

In 1940, the first acrylic eye replacement was manufactured. Glass eyes were manufactured as fabricated products. Being hard to shape and not allowing any correcions limited manufacturing and usage of glass replacements. Also, being more fragile than acrylic replacements lowered their preferability. Custom made replacements are made specially for every patient. When it fully comply with orbita hollowness, its mobility is perfect. They are very sturydy, hard to break. Can be fitted according to the changes in time. If the surface deteriorates a polishing process or surface renewal can return it to its original smoothness and gloss.

With polymethyl methacrylate, highly irritative monomer’s sensitive polymerization process result is obtained. If used material is not specially mad efor eye replacement, polimerization is not derived, it causes a constant irritation, inflamation, watering, burring problems.

After it is placed onto the socket surgically and veins fill these pores it becomes almost a living part of the body. Defects in eyelids are corrected and aesthetical defects are removed to the extend of possibility. When homogeneously coloured, it is in harmony with the other eye.

Personalized Prosthetic Eye Manufacturing Processes

As Erc Saglik Urunleri, our first step of process is general examination of eye socket by our expert and taking fitting mould of eye socket. Mould is first examplified by a plastic material and then it is turned into wax mould. Replacement’s eyelid level is determined in this period. It is partially possible to lift low-looking eyelid level by making the replacement bigger. Replacement can be made bigger as long as eyelids close. For artificial eyes natural mobility, determining factors are existence of eye muscles and structure of the eye socket. If the conditions are suitable, it is possible to reach a very good mobility level for the replacement.

After this, exterior apperance colours and veins are done. Wholeness of the replacement is completed. Polishing of the replacement is done. When polishing is also completed it is fitted to the patient and evaluated fort he last time. If no changes are necessary, replacement is handed to the patient. This procedure consists of 3 or 4 rehearsals.