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Artificial EyesLiving with an artificial eyeWe could write a large book on living with an artificial eye or eyes, but we have decided to summarise the main concerns and questions people raise, and provide references for other areas of interest. Perhaps the first thing to say is that artificial eyes will survive a great deal; being dropped, trodden on, and even swallowed by the dog or child (yes it has happened). As parents of a child with an artificial eye, you will survive a great deal too. Many a child has taken out their eye in the supermarket and offered it to the cashier, or worse still dropped and lost it somewhere. The comfort and fit of your child's eye will vary throughout life, affected by colds, stress, distress, puberty and menopause, to name but a few. Your Prosthetist will be able to answer questions you have if you are having difficulties. What does and artificial eye look like?Most artificial eyes are concave in shape, similar to a contact lens only much much thicker and white. The eye will be colour matched to your natural eye and hand painted. The iris (coloured part of your eye) will be matched and so will the white of they eye, for example if the white of your eye is a bit yellow or has some tiny red veins then this will be matched too. An artificial eye is made from a synthetic resin which does not break. Below are some pictures of artificial eyes.    How often should I clean the eye?The ultimate aim is to keep a balance between the amount of discharge from the eye and the risk of infection. The more often the eye is removed, the more opportunity there is for infection to start, but the eye and socket needs to be kept clean. Some people remove their eye/s everyday and wash them as part of their routine, like cleaning their teeth. Others do not remove their eye/s at all between appointments with the artificial eye service. Ultimately you have to find the balance which is right for you and your child. Initially however, particularly with children, it is important that they get used to having the eye removed and replaced, some Prosthetists recommend that the eye/s are removed, washed in cool boiled water and replaced once a day, others will tell you less frequently, but the important thing is to get your child used to it as soon as possible. When the child is used to this, or even doing it themselves, a balance can be found. It is important to clean around the eye, even if the eye itself is not removed. This again can be done with cool, boiled water. Can I protect my other eye?There are conflicting opinions on this subject. Some professionals will say children do not need to do anything additional to protect their eye but contact sports should be avoided, others may tell you sports can be played as long as special protective glasses or goggles are worn. You will need to decide what is best for your own situation. If you are interested in finding out more about protective glasses then your local optician may be able to provide information. There are different types of protective glasses available and each has different benefits according to their design and purpose. Most protective glasses have polycarbonate lenses and some protective sports glasses have plastic frames, however more robust glasses tend to have rigid nylon frames which don't shatter if broken. Speak to the health professionals involved in your child's care and your local optician for more information. How soon can my child go swimming?Swimming is fine as soon as the socket has healed sufficiently. Your Ophthalmologist should give you the all clear, which is usually 4 to 6 weeks after the eye has been removed. It is wise to wear goggles. If you have some facial asymmetry due to radiotherapy however, you may find the goggle don't fit well and let in water. Will my child have a spare eye?When your child has their second eye made they will be able to keep the old eye although it will not fit as well as the new one. What happens at the Artificial Eye Service appointments?At most appointment, your child's eye will be removed, cleaned, checked for any abrasions or deposits, and polished. If a new eye is needed, a mould will be taken for a new one. If your child does not have a moulded eye made, a pre-made shell will be trimmed to fit. The appointment is an opportunity to express any concerns you have about your child's eye and have questions answered. If you have problems with your child's eye between appointments, contact your prosthetist. More information about your service.The National Artificial Eye Service www.naes.nhs.uk for England The Welsh Artificial Limb and Appliance Service www.wales.nhs.uk/alas Can I/my child drive?If the sight in your remaining eye reaches the required standard (reading a number plate at 20.5 metres in good light), and your field of vision is adequate, which it will be if you have had one eye removed and the sight in the other eye is normal, then you can drive. If you do drive, you must remember that in the remaining eye the field of vision is restricted, and you should compensate by turning your head more frequently. An Orthoptist, at your local hospital ophthalmology department or one of the two Retinoblastoma Services, can do a test to see if you meet the required vision standards for driving. When learning to drive and doing your test you may wish to tell your instructor/examiner about your artificial eye as you will be using the mirrors and turning your head in a different way to other people. If your eyesight deteriorates in your remaining eye, it is your responsibility to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and if necessary obtain a report from your Ophthalmologist or Orthoptist. The article below was written by the National Artificial Eye Service and was published in our Autumn Newsletter 2006 The National Artificial Eye ServiceMany patients ask us questions about our service and about what will happen when they come to see us. We have collected some of the questions and put together the information below.What is the National Artificial Eye Service?The National Artificial Eye Service has clinics all over England and supplies artificial eyes to people who have lost their natural eye – sometimes because of an illness, sometimes an injury. The National Artificial Eye Service originated in the 1914-18 war. At that time it was known as 'The Army Spectacle Depot '. The aim of the service quickly changed from providing vision correction aids (for example, glasses) to the supply of artificial eyes for those soldiers returning injured from the front. The Service became part of the NHS and provides a free service to everybody in England. What care can I expect from the National Artificial Eye Service?All our patients are treated as individuals and we work hard to ensure the care you receive is right for you. Please don't worry if you hear that another patient is receiving care or treatment that you are not receiving, your care is tailored specifically around your individual needs and it may be that you don't need that particular treatment. Don't be afraid to ask questions, we encourage you to ask if you are unsure. If you cannot go to a clinic, you can telephone our helpline (0845 6050561- Monday to Friday 9 am to 5pm (except on Bank Holidays) whenever you want to know something. Orbital Prosthetists – the people who fit your artificial eye – have to train for a very long time to be able to do this job. They are very skilled and want to give you the best result possible. They make sure that your eye fits you comfortably and you know how to look after it. Orbital Technicians – the people who make the artificial eyes – also have to train for a long time so that they can make an eye which is best for you, including the shape and colour as everybody is different. They, too, are very skilled. All of the staff at the National Artificial Eye Service do their very best to make your artificial eye look as natural as possible and give you the best service they can. What will happen after my surgery?Your consultant will refer you to the National Artificial Eye Service following surgery. Your first appointment with us will be about six weeks after your surgery. We call this a consultation. The Orbital Prosthetist (OP) will look at your socket and make sure that it has healed properly. If all is well, you will be offered a temporary prosthesis (artificial eye), which will be matched as closely as possible to your natural eye in colour and shape. What is the artificial eye made of?The prosthesis is made of a synthetic resin, which is moulded to fit the eye socket. From the front it looks like a real eye, as the iris (the coloured part) will be as near to your natural colour as possible. Some patients have a prosthesis moulded to fit them exactly – an impression is taken of your eye socket (you may have had an impression at the dentist's and this is quite similar) and a wax mould made from this shape. The wax mould is sent to the laboratory in Blackpool and the prosthesis manufactured from this pattern. The iris and sclera (the white part) are hand painted to make it look as much like your natural eye as possible and then it is polished to look shiny and bright. We sometimes take a digital photo of your eye so that we can match the colour as accurately as possible. Where is the clinic?We have 16 main bases around England and a further 59 smaller clinics so there will usually be a clinic which is quite near to you. You can choose to go to any of our clinics but most people prefer to visit one near to home so that they do not have to travel too far.Who makes the eye?All of our prostheses are made at our laboratory in Blackpool. To make sure that all of our artificial eyes are the best they can be, we work to a British standard called ISO9001:2000. This means that twice a year an independent auditor visits us to ensure that our standards remain high. When your eye has been made, it will be sent back to your clinic for the OP to fit for you. Will people know that I have an artificial eye? Many of our patients tell us that their eye looks so good that people have to ask which is the 'real' one! We will not tell anyone (other than your Consultant and GP) that you have an artificial eye. You can tell whomever you want to. You may need to tell your teacher in case you need some help at first or so that they can make sure that things work well for you in school. Will my artificial eye fall out?The eye is specially made to fit in the socket behind your eyelids. Your eyelids will hold it in place. It should not fall out whilst you are doing normal everyday activities but some sports or very physical activity may affect it. You will need to remove the eye to clean it – some people do it every day. You may feel a little scared at first, so your parent or a carer may do it for you, but you will soon get used to it and be able to do it on your own. We have a website that you can look at – www.naes.nhs.uk and we also have leaflets and some books, which may be of help to you. You can ask to look at these when you go to the clinic – but the first leaflet about our service will be sent out to you with your first appointment letter. You can write to us at: National Artificial Eye Service 221 Bristol Avenue Blackpool FY2 0BF |
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