Discover the Best Prosthetic Eyes at Medical Art Prosthetics

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Our Orbital Prosthesis Process

The approach of Medical Art Prosthetics toward the creation of your prosthetic eye and orbital prosthesis benefits from our:

medical and anatomical science knowledge
demonstrated visual acuity and artistic skill sets
prosthetic training and experience specifically in ocular and orbital prostheses
collaborative team approach

Our process for you is caring and deliberate. We create your treatment plan that follows the most current Standards of Care and Evidence Based Practice. With your approval we will also gladly and proactively communicate with any of your professionals that might include:

previous or preferred ocularist
ophthalmologist
oculoplastic surgeon
optician
maxillofacial prosthodontist

Orbital prosthetics is like any other prosthetics specialty that requires knowledge of many different materials and a well honed skill set in manipulating the materials and tools to bring about optimal results. Your orbital prosthesis is designed and fabricated especially for your needs.

We can design your prosthesis to be secured with adhesives, by an intimate anatomical fit, by magnetic implants or even attached to your glasses. We will discuss and decide along with you which will be the best orbital prosthesis method for you.

View a Video of a Woman Putting in an Eye Prosthesis

The eye prosthetics process

Impression and fitting session

1

We gently apply a special silicone to record your orbital area contours. It sets in just a few minutes then lifts off cleanly with ease. We also use the same material to check the fit as seen here.

Artificial eye positioning and sculpting

2

In shaping your orbital form we often find that critical eye gaze/positioning and direct wax sculpting of lid nuances develop much more quickly and accurately than when using our scanning/3D printing tools. We watch your eye shape change when you smile and decide what eye expression works best for you.

Color matching

3

Your skin colors and character details are all captured using each anaplastologist’s unique reference color swatches and/or silicone formulations mixed during your session.

Lab wax refinement

4

In our labs we spend hours refining the wax to include every detail in your eyelids and surrounding skin texture. Every wax detail will be recorded in the investment process.

Intrinsic coloration

5

Your skin tones and characteristic details like tiny blood vessels, freckles, moles, etc. are carefully mixed in silicone then painted into the mold. This method of placement of silicone into the mold, also known as intrinsic coloration, demands patience and experience for your best orbital prosthesis aesthetics.

Demolding of silicone orbital

6

Your demolded silicone prosthesis will be trimmed and prepared with the custom artificial eye created by your anaplastologist or ocularist. In this case, the beautiful ocular prosthesis was created by Strauss Eye Prosthetics in Rochester, New York.

Eye tinting and attachment

7

Your anaplastologist will then instill all the final characterization details using extrinsic tints which are sealed in and imparted with skin texturing. Finally, artificial eyelashes are painstakingly inserted into the eyelids.

Final orbital prosthesis result

8

This adhesive-retained orbital prosthesis was successful. Our client later decided to have the very user-friendly glasses-retained orbital prosthesis (see link). We always highly recommend glasses for protection of the sighted eye and for the best final orbital prosthesis result.

When you work with a MAP anaplastologist on your new orbital prosthesis, you should also know that you can access a network of fellow MAP anaplastologists across the USA in case you relocate.

Each MAP anaplastologist is an independent autonomous practitioner. However, we are professionals and we want to act as a team for you when helpful.

Steps in Osseointegrated Orbital Prosthetics

Implant-retained orbital prostheses have been created by anaplastologists of Medical Art Prosthetics since 1985. We created some of the very first implant-retained magnetic eye and orbital prostheses in the United States. The osseointegration process is carried out in conjunction with various surgeons such:

oral and maxillofacial surgeons
craniofacial surgeons
head and neck surgeons
oculoplastic surgeons
plastic and reconstructive surgeons

Medical Art Prosthetics has worked with many surgeons across the country to plan the surgical procedure for the precise placement of the fixtures (see our partner surgeons list). Hundreds of the craniofacial fixtures have been placed for patients of Medical Art Prosthetics, including some advanced versions of Cochlear Americas Vistafix 3 System. Medical Art Prosthetics is now providing facial prosthetics attached to the latest Southern Implant systems.

We spend time with each of our clients to go over how their prosthesis is positioned, removed, cleaned and cared for. Complete care and hygiene instructions for the orbital or larger upper facial prosthesis are also provided as a complete package.