Wear and Care of Artificial Eyes
Recommendations for the daily removal of prosthesis are still encountered from time to time. However, these suggestions can be traced back to the period before 1942, the glass eye period. Glass eyes could and did break in the socket. They also were affected by socket discharge. Therefore, for safety and longer wear, nightly removal was recommended.
Since the plastic eye will not break in the socket and is not roughened as easily by body fluids, these old suggestions are no longer valid. In fact, minimal removal of the plastic prosthesis is the consensus of both the Ophthalmologist and the Ocularist. Consult your Ocularist or Ophthalmologist for specific recommendations regarding the care of your prosthesis.
Daily Procedure
Each morning and evening your prosthesis should be warm compressed and irrigated with water or saline. In most cases tap water is acceptable for irrigation of the socket. It is not necessary or recommended to remove your prosthesis for the daily cleaning. Many patients irrigate their prosthesis when they take a shower using the shower to irrigate.
THE STEPS
1. Wash your hands
2. Warm compress (use a clean face cloth)
3. Irrigate the prosthesis (sterile saline solution is good, water is OK)
4. Insert medication (use if prescribed)
The warm compress will loosen any dried discharge which can accumulate. Gently separate the lids when irrigating the prosthesis / socket. Be careful not to pull so hard on the lids as to cause your prosthesis to fall out. Remember to use all your medication if any is prescribed.
Monthly Removal
At this interval, your prosthesis has a minor amount of discharge dried on the surface which CANNOT be removed by the daily procedure.
THE STEPS
1. Wash your hands
2. Remove your prosthesis
3. Wash the prosthesis with soap and warm water
4. Rinse the prosthesis with water
5. Rinse your socket if necessary (sterile saline solution is good, water is OK)
6. Insert your prosthesis
When you remove your prosthesis use soap to clean it. Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Ivory Soap, contact lens cleaner and regular liquid soap are all acceptable. Remember, water alone will not remove all the deposits which can be found on your prosthesis.