| Prior to World War II, there was only one type of artificial eye. This was the glass eye developed in Germany in the year 1835. For years, German craftsmen held a monopoly on the manufacture of the glass eye and particularly the special glass required for this work Even those technicians who made glass eyes in this country depended on Germany for their raw materials.
The war terminated the exportation of glass eyes and raw glass from Europe. Destructive as war can be, it can quite often bring about improvements. In this case, war conditions brought about the development of the plastic eye.
Most of the credit belongs to the United States Army and more particularly to the Army dental technicians. These men applied the skills of their trade toward fabricating an artificial eye of the same methyl methacrylate used in making artificial teeth.
These first eyes made of plastic were by today's standards quite crude, but it was the beginning of a product which would soon render the old glass eye obsolete. | |
| Soon after the invention of the plastic eye, the stock plastic eye was developed. As its name implies, the stock eye was selected for the patient from a selection of ready-made eyes. An eye was chosen and matched for general color, then shaped and adjusted to obtain an approximate fit of the socket. Reasonable matches were obtained in this manner, but usually the stock eye left much to be desired.
Fortunately, stock eyes have all but disappeared. For the best possible color match and fit, the custom eye is unparalleled. This is a prosthesis manufactured step by step with each detail designed to match the wearer's companion eye. Eyes fitted by LeGrand Associates are made of plastic throughout, including paint, iris, and sclera.
They are made by men and women who are basically artists whose training enables them to take an accurate impression of the eye socket and duplicate in paints an authentic replica of the human iris. A significant advantage of the plastic prostheses is that they can be altered later. When the shape of a person's socket changes, a plastic eye can be enlarged or reduced to accommodate these changes. However, because of the heat and pressure involved in this process, it is risky to enlarge or re- color an eye that is more than four years old. |
American Society of Ocularists
The American Society of Ocularists is an international, non-profit, professional and educational organization founded in 1957 by technicians specializing in the fabricating and fitting of custom artificial eyes. visit their web site | |
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Time Factor:
The steps described on the preceding page are normally done in two visits. However, in certain cases where patients travel long distances, we sometimes complete the process in one day.
Yearly Check-Ups:
It is recommended that you return to our office once a year to have your prosthesis polished. Usually there is an accumulation of salt and protein deposits on the eye in one year's time. Polishing removes these potentially irritating deposits. The ocularist will also evaluate the eye's fit and appearance. Some- times a build-up (enlargement) or adjustment may be required because of subtle changes in the eye socket tissue.
Removal and Cleaning:
At one time, all artificial eye wearers were told to remove and clean the prosthesis on a regular basis. It has since been learned that removal on a regular basis keeps the eye socket mildly irritated. Today's artificial eyes generally need less attention because of improved fitting and polishing techniques. Many people do not feel the need to remove their prosthesis between yearly visits to their ocularist. Removal and reinsertion of the prosthesis is an easy process, however, and your ocularist will show you how to accomplish this. If you do remove your artificial eye, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands first; this will reduce the risk of infection and irritation. | |
