Problems With a Glass Eye

Glass eyes are an acceptable option for anyone who has suffered an injury, has undergone removal surgery or lost an eye. There are many options and prosthetics available on the market from stock glass eyes to hand-crafted replacement glass eyes. Cost changes from one manufacturer to the next. However, glass eyes do present some problems if not cared for properly. They must be fitted correctly and cleansed to ensure optimum appearance. Price must also be taken into consideration for anyone shopping for a prosthetic.

Heat Sterilization

• According to Raymond E. Peters, master ocularist from the Center for Ocular Prosthetics website, many people try to sterilize their glass eyes by exposing them to heat or boiling them when cold sterilization is the best method to cleanse a glass eye. Exposure to excessive heat can damage the glass eye. The eye is constructed in three layers with cosmetics between each layer. When a prosthetic has been utilized for two or more years, it will already have absorbed fluids and bacteria from the body into its porous surface. High heat will expand these fluids and separate the layers, ultimately ruining the eye.

Irritations

• When a person with a prosthetic eye begins to experience irritations, recurring infections or excreta (waste or sweat products from the body) due to the glass eye, it is usually time to replace the eye with a new model. Sterilization will not cure the problem because by this time the eye has either been mis-fitted or worn too long. When a prosthetic is worn too long, it becomes saturated with body acid and other fluids or excreta. The only resource is to undergo a re-fitting for a new prosthetic and to buy the new glass eye.

Cost

• Cost is a consideration in the availability of a glass eye. While most insurance companies will pay part or the full cost of the prosthetic, policies vary from one insurance company to the next. Some companies that manufacture prosthetics may offer payment policies that allow customers to pay for their purchases in installments. For those without insurance or those with insurance companies that will not pay for the prosthetic, the Center for Ocular Prosthetics website promotes CareCredit, which helps many patients with financing and provides options to fit many types of incomes and budgets. Glass eye prices vary because ocular prosthetists must examine their patients before they can quote an acceptable price for the production of the prosthetic.

Stock Glass Eyes

• Stock glass eyes are mass-manufactured eyes with set eye colors and sizes. While stock glass eyes may be cheaper, they lack the benefits of a custom-made glass eye. Custom eyes are fitted and sized for an individual eye socket. The color and size of the iris and pupil are taken into consideration when observing the patient's remaining eye so that it appears as normal as possible. Prosthetists even take painstaking efforts to match the color of the sclera (the white portion of the eye) to the original eye. Prosthetists, while painting and creating the glass eye, even take into the amount of veining and shade of color while creating the duplicate eye. Stock eyes cannot provide this sort of quality, precise fitting and position of the pupil and iris.

Conclusion

• While glass eyes need care and upkeep to remain in good condition, they can also add a sense of normality and pride for those suffering with the loss of an eye. Custom made eyes can offer a wonderful option for those shopping for prosthetics. Each individual must decide what option is best for him and to make sure that he takes into consideration the cost, benefits and pitfalls of each prosthetic. Regaining a sense of balance and normality may be the most important thing a prosthetic can do for its owner.