When You Should See an Ocularist

• Four to six weeks after enucleation or evisceration surgery. The ocularist may insert a temporary prosthesis or begin fabricating a custom-made prosthesis.

• When the prosthesis is misaligned. The ocularist may adjust the gaze by adding or removing plastic from the prosthesis.

• When you see scratches or deposits on the prosthesis, or if you have excessive discharge. The ocularist may machine polish the prosthesis to restore comfort.

• When your prosthesis appears sunken or your upper eyelid droops. The ocularist may enlarge the prosthesis to obtain symmetry.

• When your prosthesis is older than five years, or when you are experiencing excessive discharge, slippage, or general discomfort. The prosthesis may need replacement. (Plastic prosthetic eyes have a life of three to five years for adults and two to three years for children.)

• When you are unclear about the care of your prosthesis. The ocularist will determine your individual daily hygiene.

• The ocular prosthesis must be polished regularly to restore the acrylic finish and maintain the health of the surrounding socket tissue. If you remove the prosthesis regularly, polishing once a year is recommended. If you cannot or do not remove the prosthesis, you should have it polished twice a year.

• Socket growth in children requires regular enlargement of the prosthesis to maintain symmetry and enhance socket expansion. Children younger than three years should visit the ocularist three or four times a year to monitor socket growth. Children older than three, but not fully grown, should visit twice a year.