Most people only think of adults when they think of prosthetic eyes, but there are children and even infants who need them, as well. There have been accidents where young children have lost an eye, where babies have been born with a missing eye or deformed and non functional eye, and diseases that can damage the eyes of even the smallest and youngest of children. With that in mind, it s very important for doctors to keep parents informed of the fact that they can get artificial eyes for their children starting at about six months of age if it s necessary, rather than waiting until they are older.
For children under six months of age, wearing a prosthetic eye is not recommended. However, they should be fitted with a conformer. This is a device to increase the orbital volume – the size of the socket which surrounds the eye – as the child gets older. It is clear plastic, and is changed out every couple of months for a larger size, thus stimulating bone and tissue growth in the eye area. This process should be started right away, especially if the child is born with a very small ocular orbit. The conformer can be used to stretch the socket, slowly, so that an artificial eye can be fitted at a later date. If this isn t done early, wearing a prosthesis later can be very difficult and some of the naturalness of it will be lessened.
As a child gets a bit older, he or she can be fitted for the actual prosthetic eye. Fitting can sometimes be a bit more difficult for a child. An adult knows to hold still and do exactly as the doctor says, even if there is some discomfort, but a very young child is not as good at these kinds of things. This can make it hard to get a mold of the eye socket, because that is done by pressing a thick compound into the socket to make an impression.
Once the maker of the prosthetic eye has this impression, he or she can then make a mold and create an eye that will exactly fit the socket for which it is intended. With children this is especially important because they run and play. The prosthetic eye needs to remain in place very well so that it doesn t come out if they fall or are pushed by another child on the playground. If they play sports they need to be especially careful with their prosthetic, and they may want to wear goggles during this kind of play so that they can better avoid injury and/or keep from dislodging the artificial eye.
This can happen to adults who play sports, too, but it s more common in children because they tend not to think about being careful as much as an adult will. Infants and children who use an artificial eye will also have to have it replaced periodically because they are growing all the time. Their prosthetic eye might not last as long as the artificial eye of an adult, since the fit can change and keep it from remaining in place as snugly as it should.
Following up with recommended doctor appointments is key for a child with a prosthetic eye, to catch any problems early on and ensure that the prosthesis is fitting correctly. Anyone who has a prosthetic of any kind should follow their doctor s recommendations, of course, but children are still growing and are, therefore, more at risk for problems and complications, especially if they don t have regular checkups and fittings for their artificial eye. The eye will also need to be cleaned periodically, and that can be done at home most of the time. Having it cleaned by a professional at regular intervals is also a very good idea, and can keep the artificial eye looking better and much more natural for a longer period of time.
Author Resource:
Carolina Eye Prosthetics provides hand-crafted and hand-painted prosthetic eyes. With two North Carolina locations their ocularists serve patients in need of artificial eyes. For more information about Carolina Eye Prosthetics visit http://www.carolinaeyeprostheticsinc.com or call 1-877-763-9393.
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