At the moment, there is no way to return a completely lost eye. It is impossible to make such an artificial substitute that could restore lost vision. The only thing that can be done in this case is to return the external signs of the missing eye with a prosthesis. In appearance, it almost does not differ from a real organ.
Why do I need a prosthesis
Dentures are placed in order to visually return the eye. They are mobile and identical to the second eye. There is also a medical side to the problem of the lack of ocular prosthetics. This, for example, facial deformation in children without an eyeball. In this situation, a prosthesis is simply necessary, because the consequences can be very bad.
Types of eye prostheses
There are two main types of ocular prostheses:
- Glass. Such prostheses are made of several types of glass. The basis is taken corneal, colored and scleral glass. Such a prosthesis is light and well moistened with a tear. Of the minuses, the fragility of the glass should be noted. Such a prosthesis requires a careful attitude, otherwise it may crack or break. Wearing such an eye substitute will not work for a long time, because its useful life is only one year.
- Plastic If you are not very accurate, then plastic eye prostheses are more suitable for you. They have high strength compared to glass. Their life is also higher, it is two years. Glass they are inferior in weight and smoothness. Plastic prostheses weigh an order of magnitude more, and their surface is not so smooth.
There is, in addition, a single-wall and two-wall prosthesis of the eyeball. The first is used when the eyeball is not completely removed, and the second - when the surgeon removed it to the end.
Operation
To begin with, doctors remove the damaged eye. For this, the patient is given general anesthesia and the mucous membrane is separated from the eyeball. The nerves and muscles that hold the eye are cut, after which the eye no longer holds anything, and it is simply taken out. The mucous membrane remains almost intact.
After the eye is removed, the empty area needs to be filled somehow. To do this, surgeons sew together muscle tissue and inject either the patient’s own material or artificial material.
To start prosthetics, the wound must heal. To do this, wait a couple of weeks. After this, a temporary plastic implant is inserted so that the hole does not become smaller. The final prosthesis is inserted only after a few months. Sometimes it takes several interventions to prepare the fundus.
Individual dentures
In order to make the eye as similar as possible, you will need individual eye prostheses. They will cost more, because they are made specifically for the features of your eye cavity and the color of the pupil. These may be such features as the shape of the conjunctival cavity, color, size of the iris, sclera, and the location of the vascular pattern.
The manufacture of an individual ocular prosthesis begins with the formation of a cast of the mucous membrane. After that, material suitable for the patient is selected, and work on the design of the prosthesis begins.
Work on individual eye prosthetics is usually carried out on the first day of treatment at the clinic.
How glass prostheses are made
Glass eye prostheses are made by smelting from a special material. To begin with, a cryolite tube is taken, only the necessary part is melted and separated. The result is a form with two rods on the sides. Inside all this, there is emptiness, and the deformation of the form is due to the fact that one of the tubes is blown. The master blows a ball from this form.
One of the rods is removed, and in its place create the basis of the iris. This is done using special colored glass. A piece of such glass is welded to the ball and inflated to 10-11 mm, after which a round shape is blown out of it. After that, using colored glass, the cornea is applied to the base of the iris, and the pupil is made in the center. After this, scleral glass is applied, making a smooth transition between the cornea and sclera.
When the pupil is ready, the ellipsoidal shape is melted out of the ball and the blood vessels are on it to give the eye even more realism.
Making glass prostheses takes a maximum of an hour. They can be done right at the same time as you came to the clinic.
Made of plastic
Making of this material takes longer, and the process itself is very different. It all starts with the creation of a plaster mold, after which plastic is poured into it. Then all this is processed in a hydraulic press. Then it is fixed in the clasp, and the process of cooking the prosthesis begins.
The iris and pupil for a plastic prosthesis are painted by artists using high-quality oil paints. This is done by a specially trained artist.
The prosthesis undergoes a special treatment, during which blood vessels are drawn. When the work is already finished, the product is thoroughly polished to the state of maximum smoothness for plastic.
The approximate production time for a plastic prosthesis is 2-4 days. This is significantly longer than glass. Because of this, the price of plastic is higher.
How much does an eye prosthesis cost
The cost of an ocular prosthesis in Russia averages 6 thousand rubles. Prices, of course, vary depending on the material from which the product is made. To make an individual eye prosthesis will cost more, on average it is about 13 thousand rubles. If you have a disability, then in Russia you will be provided with it for free, at the expense of social insurance funds.
Where do eyeball prostheses
This issue is the factory of eye prostheses. Often such enterprises specialize in their own specific material. In Russia, in many large cities, eye prostheses are made, in Moscow, for example. To get an individual eye prosthesis, you need to contact the clinic itself and you will be dealt with.
Wearing problems
After the prosthesis is installed on the patient, painful sensations are not observed, however, some discomfort is felt in the first days. Over time, the person becomes accustomed, and the inconvenience no longer appears. It is best to wear dentures around the clock, because even a break for several hours can affect the size of the mucous membrane. But this moment is better to discuss with your doctor.
An important problem is increased secretion of tears and frequent pollution. This implies the need to flush the prosthesis every day. This should be done under clean, warm water, without using any cleaning agents. A maximum of 10 minutes can be held in salt water.
Resemblance to a real eye
Most people expect that the prosthesis will be almost impossible to distinguish from the real eye in appearance. This is a misconception that often makes customers upset. You need to understand that no matter how skill the eye-prosthetist artist possesses, in any case the creation of a completely identical eye is impossible. The eye has the ability to change the color and size of the pupil under different lighting conditions, so it will almost always differ slightly from the prosthesis.
Also an important role is played by the preparation of the eye cavity for the prosthesis. The worse it is carried out, the less will be the resemblance to the original.
Reviews
People wearing eye prostheses respond positively to them. They say that at first the product is uncomfortable, but after a couple of months they no longer distinguish it from the real eye. Customers claim that without a prosthesis they too often paid attention, which interfered with normal life.
To summarize
The only way to return to normal life after the loss of the organ of vision is eye prosthetics. Although it does not help you see, but outwardly it will nevertheless return you a lost eye. Without an eye prosthesis, complications can begin, and also outwardly it will not look the best way.