Prosthetic Eyes – Everything you want to know!
“The Eyes tell more than words could ever say”
Eyes are the most essential factor for any individual whatsoever. The Eyes let us see the world and it’s good and bad. It depends on these eyes how we see the World. But some of us are not so lucky to have an eye for ourselves. Either they lose the Eyes in any accident or do not have any from birth.
Also Read: Disadvantages of Artificial Eyes
The disadvantages of not having an eye are incomparable. Still, as Technology is becoming the Hero of the World, it is trying its best to do the bit to give an Artificial Eye for them. Now the next question that comes to anyone’s mind is that is this affordable? Will all the people who lost their eyes, by Accident or during birth be able to implant them?
To get that answer and much more on this, let’s get into the details.
What are Prosthetic Eyes?
A Person who has lost an eye will have some relief after undergoing this surgery. Well, Technology hasn’t Developed to that extend where we can implant vision for a Blind person, but one thing Technology can do is to save those eyes from further deteriorating. Often we see that a Blind person has to put on a Black band or Glass to protect his eyes, after this surgery, that is gone. After the entire eye is gone, this implant will help to prevent the further growth of the tissues inside it.
What is Ocular Prosthesis?
The Process of Prosthesis is done to replace the absence of a natural eye and implant it with an Eye of Glass or more suitable ones. A very high-intensity Medical grade Plastic Acrylic is used to implant just under the eyelid. The artificial eye is well set into the Eye socket making sure that in all ways it can work perfectly like an Eye. The Eye is made up of Convex Glass that helps the patient to view the world in the same manner as the Normal eye.
Types of Ocular Prosthetic Surgeries
Ocular Surgeries are difficult and are critical. The Doctors who perform such an operation are highly trained to do the work. So let’s see what are the different kinds of Surgeries for implanting an Artificial Eye are there.
- Evisceration:
In this method of surgery, the jelly-like fluid that is present in our eye is sucked out with the help of a tube and then the artificial one is inserted properly. This doesn’t damage the Upper Eye and the Eye Socket of the Patient’s eye. But this has become a successful operation for quite some patients now.
- Enucleation:
Sometimes when the eye is fully damaged, Doctors decide to go for this process and this one is very critical. The Process of this one includes the cutting of the globe like an eyeball and then inserting the new one. This critical one will be executed by Doctors who have been pro on this. The doctors will decide to go for this operation or not, based on the Condition of the eye also the severity of it.
Prosthetic Eyes Cost
The Cost of Prosthetic Eyes is quite different in countries. The cost of Prosthetic surgery in India can take up to Rs 15000 to Rs 30000. Yes, it is that costly. However, if we consider more advanced countries like the US, the cost of a Prosthetic eye can take $2500 to $8300 per surgery. Thus it seems that this might take away quite a lot of your savings. But to look good and to feel the difference I would strongly recommend any blind person to do so. Surgery is a very critical one and thus needs a lot of patience for sure.
The Duration of such a surgery would take about 6-7 hours, but researchers say that the eye can take about 3-4 years of time to adjust with the Foreign eye. The Feeling of nausea and Pain after the surgery may continue for about 72hours, but don’t worry proper Pain killers will be given for that. The doctor who will operate will do the work of joining the Prosthetic tissues with the Tissus of your eyes. They will make sure that the movement of the eye is natural but you can never replace the natural movement of an eye.
Prosthetic Eye Effects and the Side Effects:
The main disadvantages that are felt post Surgery are that there is a certain feeling of irritation inside the eye. Also for some, the chances of infection are also there. During the first few weeks, some patients feel that there is an unnecessary tightness in the eye. This is again true for some, but this will release to a great extend with the passage of time. The Medicines for the Eye should be taken with time.
Caring for your Prosthetic Eyes
Often Patients feel discomforted and ask that what is care they should be doing for their Prosthetic Eyes? Well, we have an answer to that.
For keeping your Artificial eye, good and healthy these are some of the best care you can take care of.
- The Acrylic part of the Prosthetic eye should be removed every once a month and washed with medicated soap and dried before putting it back.
- Use Lubricating Eye drops to keep the Prosthetic eye healthy a dining place.
- Tell your doctor to polish your Acrylic eyes every year. Not too often.
- If any kind of germs and irritations get into the eye, make sure you remove the upper part and wash it rather than rubbing on it.
So these were some of the essential cares you can take for our Prosthetic Eyes.
The Replacement of a Natural eye is never ever possible, but some alternative is always better. Let’s use it and get things better. The use of different kinds of eye prostheses is becoming more popular these days and we hope that the researchers come out with the technology to donate vision to the blind. That would be any discovery, that would be a revolution for sure. Many types of research amalgamated with the best Doctors to work on this Project. The Blind and giving them a vision is a noble deed for sure. Until then let’s hope for the best!