OCULAR PROSTHETICS
The purpose of an ocular prosthesis is to help restore eyelid function. Restoration of eyelid function is possible because the prosthesis fits over an ocular implant and under the eyelids.
Your first visit to our office will be about three weeks post-surgery. During this meeting, you will have a consultation with your ocularist at no cost to you. We have this meeting so that you can start to feel comfortable with us, ask any questions you might have, and so that we can check your eye socket to determine when you should come back to have your custom prosthesis made. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding your prosthesis, insurance coverage, or anything else that comes to mind. We want to put you at ease throughout this process, and we are happy to help however we can.
Your second visit will be when we begin the process of making your prosthesis. We will start with an appointment in the morning that will last about an hour and a half. During this appointment, the ocularist will take an impression of your eye socket to ensure a custom fit of your prosthesis. If you would like to learn more about this process, please visit our video gallery so you can watch a video of Maureen taking an impression! Next, your ocularist will make a wax pattern from the impression to ensure a correct fit and gaze. Once we have checked the fit, your ocularist will begin to paint the background color of your iris. At Maloney’s, we hand-paint every iris to create a life-like quality in your prosthesis. After painting the background color, you are free to leave for lunch, as the prosthesis must now dry, and we must create a plastic mold from the wax pattern.
When you return in the afternoon, your ocularist will add the blood vessels and rest of the iris colors to your prosthesis while you sit across the table from them. Sitting together with your ocularist ensures that your prosthesis will match your natural eye and that the prosthesis will have life-like qualities. Once finished, the ocularist will place the prosthesis in the oven to dry overnight.
Your fourth visit to our office will be the following day. During this appointment, your ocularist will present you with the finished prosthesis and insert it into your eye socket to see if any adjustments are necessary. Before you leave, your ocularist will show you how to insert and remove your prosthesis, as well as any cleaning tips you might need. At the end of this appointment, you leave with your prosthesis.
Additional Office Visits:
About a month after we finish your new prosthesis, we suggest you come in for a short follow-up to make sure everything fits well. After that, we like to see you about every six months so we can polish and clean your prosthesis. Over time, we will also use these appointments to evaluate when it might be necessary to replace your prosthesis. On average, you will need to get your prosthesis replaced every five years, but this varies from patient to patient. |