 What does an Ocularist do?
What is the history of the ocular prosthetic?
What's the difference between "stock" and "custom" eyes?
How often should I see my Ocularist?
What does an Ocularist do?
An Ocularist is a carefully trained technician skilled in the arts of fitting, shaping, and painting ocular prostheses. In addition to creating it, the Ocularist shows the patient how to handle and care for the prosthesis, and provides long-term care through periodic examinations.
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What is the history of the ocular prosthetic?
Artificial eye-making has been practiced since ancient times. The first ocular prostheses were made by Roman and Egyptian priests as early as the fifth century B.C. In those days, artificial eyes were made of painted clay attached to cloth and worn outside the socket.
It took many centuries for the first in-socket artificial eyes to be developed. At first, these were made of gold with colored enamel. Then, in the later part of the sixteenth century, the Venetians started making artificial eyes out of glass. These early glass eyes were crude, uncomfortable to wear, and very fragile. Even so, the Venetians continued making them and kept their methods secret until the end of the eighteenth century. After that, the center for artificial eye-making shifted to Paris for a time; but by the mid-nineteenth century, German glass-blowers had developed superior techniques, and the center for glass eye-making moved to Germany.
Shortly thereafter, glass eye-making was introduced in the United States. During World War II, the imported German glass used for glass prostheses became unavailable in this country. As a result of this shortage, the U.S. Government, in conjunction with a number of American firms, popularized the techniques for making artificial eyes out of acrylic plastic.
The popularity of this method has continued to increase over the years, and today the vast majority of patients wear ocular prostheses made of acrylic.
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What's the difference between "stock" and "custom" eyes?
"Stock" or "ready-made" ocular prostheses are mass-produced. Since a "stock eye" is not made for any particular person, it does not fit any particular patient. A "custom" ocular prosthesis, on the other hand, is made by your Ocularist to fit you and you alone.
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How often should I see my Ocularist?
The ocular prosthesis, like hard contact lenses, needs to be polished regularly in order to restore the acrylic finish and insure the health of the surrounding tissues. It is generally recommended that infants under 3 years of age be seen every 3 months; all other patients should be seen twice yearly. Eyes should be replaced every 3-5 years for hygienic reasons.
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