Prosthetic Eye Movement

Prosthetic eye movement is an important aspect of a prosthetic eye, also known as an artificial eye. A prosthetic eye is a medical device which replaces an eye that is lost due to injury or disease. While a prosthetic eye cannot restore vision, it improves the appearance and helps maintain the proper alignment of their remaining eye.

One of the challenges of fitting a prosthetic eye is ensuring that it moves in a natural way. In a healthy eye, the movement is controlled by a complex system of muscles that allow the eye to move in various directions. A prosthetic eye, on the other hand, is not able to move in the same way. Instead, it relies on the movement of the surrounding muscles and skin to create the illusion of movement.

Traditionally, prosthetic eyes were made in a limited number of stock shapes. However, these stock shapes don’t provide a good fit for every individual. This results in a less natural appearance and movement of the prosthetic eye.

To address this issue, custom impression fit prosthetic eyes have been developed. With this technique, a mold is made of the individual’s eye socket. This allows a prosthetic eye to be created that is tailored to the unique shape of their eye socket. This results in a better fit and more natural movement of the prosthetic eye.

Custom impression fit prosthetic eyes are a superior option to stock shapes. They provide a better fit and more natural movement. This can improve the appearance and comfort of the prosthetic eye, helping the individual to feel more confident and comfortable in their daily life.

Maximizing Motion

There are many things that may be done to maximize motion of a prosthetic eye. Maximizing prosthetic eye movement is best achieved with an impression fit prosthesis. A custom fit prosthetic eye is fit from the back of the eye socket towards the front where the front curvature is custom made to maximize lid symmetry. A prosthesis can only move as much as the extraocular muscles allow it to move.

Adjustments can be made to the shape to remove areas which impinge on the edges of the socket on extreme gazes. We do not recommend pegging your prosthesis to increase motion because of the complications of infection of the implant. Some problems with pegs include discharge, pyogenic granulomas, peg popping or falling out, hydroxyapatite visible around the peg hole, part of peg shaft visible, drilled off center or at an angle, and excess movement of the peg.