The Prosthetic Eye

What is an artificial eye?

The artificial eye is a prosthesis that has several significant functions. It is important to know that it does not restore sight, but it does help to do the following:

• prevent remaining soft tissue from collapsing 

• prevent eyelids and lashes from turning in 

• facilitate the proper circulation of tears so they can continue to do their job of cleaning and lubricating the socket and lids

These functions of the artificial eye, along with concern for the comfort of the wearer, are the reasons why the Erickson's process begins with a custom impression of the eye socket. Instead of using an uncoloured stock blank as a base for the new eye, we make our own custom blank, individually fabricated to fit the size and shape of the eye socket. When movement is possible, the prosthesis is designed to move naturally and without irritating the surrounding tissue. This "modified impression method" is one of the most important aspects of fitting an Erickson eye.