This article discusses the procedure to follow when handling your Artificial Eye.
These instructions should be thoroughly understood and applied.
General Suggestions for Good Hygiene
Remember your hands and fingers can be the cause of discomfort with your eye. They can transmit bacterial organisms, oil, debris and other troublesome foreign matter into the eye socket. Therefore, always wash your hands thoroughly before handling the eye. If you use soap and water, thoroughly rinse with clear water and be certain that all soap is removed as it may be an irritant to the eye socket tissue.
1. Suggestions for Better Appearance.
a. If movement of your artificial eye is rather limited, learn to turn your head rather than your eyes. This reduces the chance that difference in movement between your eyes will be seen.
b. When talking with others, try to avoid looking up from under the eyebrows. Practically no artificial eye will move upward to match the companion eye.
c. A pair of unbreakable eyeglasses should be worn by every person who has had one eye removed even though he may not need them for correcting vision. They can protect your normal eye and the definitely detract attention from the artificial eye.
2. Lubricating the Eye
a. It is advisable to lubricate your eye prior to insertion, merely apply water in sufficient quantity to cover eye.
3. Insertion of the Artificial Eye
a. To place the prosthesis into the socket, wash hands. Face a mirror (Figure A). If it is above a lavatory or other hard surface, drape a soft towel over that surface so that, if the prosthesis is accidentally dropped, it is not likely to be damaged.
b. Hold the artificial eye by one hand in such a manner that the upper edge on the eye is upward and the back of the eye is toward the empty socket. One way to hold it is between the thumb and second finger with the forefinger against the front of the cornea (over the pupil) (Figure B).
c. Lift the upper lid with a finger or the thumb of the free hand and keep the socket widely exposed for the next step. (Figure C).
d. While watching in the mirror, slide the upper edge of the prosthesis up under the upper lid. (Figure D). Gradually, work it higher under the lid until most of the pupil and iris are hidden. DO NOT LET IT SLIDE DOWNWARD AGAIN UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT STEP.
e. Release only the upper lid and bring the finger, which was holding it, around to the front of the prosthesis to press it backward and keep it under the upper lid. (Figure E). Release the prosthesis from the grip of the finger and thumb of the other hand and bring the latter down to roll the lower lid margin out from under the bottom edge of the eye.
f. When the lower lid is definitely out in front of the prosthesis, move it around until it seems that the artificial eye is seated in its proper place. (Figure F). Take both hands away from the eye slowly, being ready to catch the prosthesis if it has not been correctly placed and falls out. (Falling onto coarse, sharp of hard surfaces can chip or scratch the plastic eye).
4. Removal of Your Artificial Eye
a. To remove prosthesis from the socket, wash hands, face mirror as described in section on insertion. Tilt the head slightly downward while looking at the artificial eye in the mirror; this rotates the prosthesis for removal. Hold one hand, palm upward and heel against cheek, below the eye socket to catch the prosthesis if it comes out suddenly. (Figure A).
b. Place forefinger of the other hand against the middle of the lower lid, close and parallel to the eye lashes. (Figure B). Press the lower lid tissues backward, under the lower edge of the artificial eye as indicated by the arrow at (a). At the same time pull the finger toward the cheek bone as indicated by the arrow at (b) to stretch the lid margin under the prosthesis, exposing it to view.
c. If the artificial eye does not slide out of the socket by itself, the cupped hands may be taken away from the cheek and the fore-finger and thumb used to grasp the prosthesis and rock and pull it gently from under the upper lid. (Figure C). After removal, the eye should be rinsed or washed with warm water under a faucet, being careful not to drop it down any open drain.
d. For storage of the eye while not wearing use the special storage case. Cover eye with a contact lens wetting solution* during storage.
5. Cleaning Your Artificial Eye
a. In order to avoid accumulation of heavy mucoid deposits on you artificial eye, the use of a lens cleaning solution* and the following cleaning procedure is recommended at least twice monthly.
b. Remove the eye and place into storage case. Pour cleaner over eye until it is fully immersed and covered. Allow to soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove eye and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
c. DISCARD cleaner and thoroughly rinse case with water. DO NOT reuse the cleaner.
6. Things to Remember about your Artificial Eye
a. If you should drop you eye DO NOT STEP until you have located it.
b. NEVER wipe the eye with anything abrasive.
c. ALWAYS use a wet tissue of soft cloth when wiping eye.
d. NEVER leave the eye in a piece of facial tissue. This is an easy way to lose it – usually by having it picked up and thrown away.
e. NEVER use any solvents, improvisions, or alcohol as the may damage the eye.
f. ALWAYS wipe the eye toward the nose. Wiping outward can dislodge the eye.
g. If you swim, avoid opening the eyes under water. This is another common way of losing the eye. Anyone who swims or dives should remove the prosthesis or wear goggles or a patch.
h. Cold weather, hot weather, dry weather and wind all tend to evaporate moisture on the surface of the eye an make blinking difficult. In these circumstances some kind of eye drops are helpful in keeping the prosthesis moist.
i. If the eye becomes roughened or scratched it should be re-polished by one understanding the proper method.
j. Consult your doctor immediately if trouble arises.
k. ROUTINELY check your artificial eye for accumulated deposits and scratches. If deposits are noted on the surfaces of the eye, follow the lens cleaning procedure.
7 If these symptoms occur, remove eye from socket and contact this office.
a. Severe and continuous burning of the socket and lids.
b. Severe redness and swelling of the eye socket and lids.
c. Roughness – scratching.
d. Appearance of whitish hard calcified film over surface of eye.
8 General Instructions
a. It is important that you adhere to the wearing schedule specified by your doctor.
b. Your doctor will recommend any socket solution which may be necessary to clean the socket. In general, once the socket is completely healed and properly fitted, it will take care of itself.
c. Return to this office every six months so that your artificial eye and its orbit ca be examined and served.