Benefits of using a Prosthetic Eye

6 Benefits of using a Custom-made Prosthetic Eyes

A Custom-made Artificial eye made in the Philippines

​Eyes are considered as one of our most important body parts. And the truth is, a larger part of our brain is dedicated to vision. Therefore, losing an eye is never a good situation. This is one of the unimaginable things a Filipino can ever experience. However, with the continuous scientific and technological research and advancement in the field of optometry, several options are already made available to help a person who's lost an eye. One of which is getting a Prosthetic Eye in the Philippines. It has brought a lot of benefits for individuals who decided to wear them. They even said that it changed their lives for the better. Because of technological advancement, wearing prosthetic eyes is now difficult to recognize because they have been made already amazingly natural. You will never know if someone is wearing a prosthetic eye if you don't know the person very well.
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There are several personal benefits given by prosthetic eyes, however, the following are seven obvious benefits most wearers of prosthetic eyes will experience:

1. Artificial Eyes improves Physical Appearance

Before and After of an Artificial Eye patient

​It is true that having a disability is challenging. Especially if it affects a person's visual capacity. Other person's biases, judgmental stares, and rude and insensitive questioning make visually impaired individuals feel uncomfortable and make them hide their disability. That is why some of them who are missing an eye would result in wearing eye patches. But this makes them much more uncomfortable because their disability became more obvious. Other than that, there are no much options for individuals with eye disability, unless, they choose to wear a prosthetic eye.
The good thing is, nowadays, many individuals decide on having a prosthetic eye custom-made and fitted. This is in order to develop their appearance and make them look as normal as possible as the rest of the world. These prosthetic eyes are custom made by an ocularist who specializes in creating artificial eyes. It is interesting to know that most prosthetic eyes are made and composed of acrylic and the iris is hand-painted and usually based on the existing remaining eye of the new owner. The prosthetic eyes can be created a very close match with the other one and therefore can improve an individual’s appearance physically and at the same time giving them the confidence they definitely deserve.

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2. Increases Facial Attractiveness ​

​Prosthetic eyes do not only improve the physical appearance of the person wearing it. Since it replicates the eye that was lost, it balances facial features. Therefore it restores facial attractiveness. The prosthetic eyes, give an individual a much beautiful look. It helps in increasing the attractiveness of the person’s facial features.

3. Proper Facial Function

​An enormous benefit of wearing a prosthetic eye is that it permits the body to function properly. Much more than the facial attractiveness and improving the physical appearance of a person with a disability, prosthetic eyes also helps a lot in the proper facial functioning. It is one of the favorable advantage or benefit of a prosthetic eye. It gives a person's body a chance to work properly. Based from clinical studies, if after losing an eye through surgery and a prosthetic eye is not immediately fitted and worn, the tendency is, the eye socket will begin shutting and the eyelid will be drained and start to stop working properly. 
On the other hand, if after an eye removal surgery and a prosthetic eye was immediately fitted and worn, the eye socket is given the chance to be on its great shape and normal size. Additionally, it also gives a person’s eyelid the chance to work accurately. The prosthetic eye is not just a way to complete a person’s appearance, but it is also an avenue to guarantee that the eye socket and rest of the eye structure continue to function properly and accurately. This specific benefit is not possible if a person is just wearing an eye patch.

Notice the patient's lower eyelid after using a larger than needed Artificial Eye for decades

4. Lifts a person’s self-esteem and self-confidence

​One of the very obvious effects of losing an eye is the issue of self-esteem. Having that feeling of lacking and being normal, many individuals who have lost an eye, or both, suffer from low self-esteem or confidence. It decreases their social interaction, opted to stay away from others and limits communicating with peers are just some of the manifestations of low self-esteem individuals. However, wearing a prosthetic eye that appears exactly like the other eye really increases a person's confidence and self-esteem. Wearing it makes them no longer appear to have a disability. Also, having a prosthetic eye that is so real-looking will definitely complete an individual's physical appearance like anybody else. It ‘hides' one's disability and makes people feel comfortable and confident on their own. Many of those who are already wearing artificial eyes would say that they become attractive again and feel that they are again "whole." This experience definitely boosts their self-confidence.
Additionally, having a prosthetic eye that bears a resemblance to the other eye will definitely build a person’s confidence. It is because it will not emphasize the fact that a person has an inability. The artificial eyes boost up the person’s confidence who don’t have an eye.

5. It brings up a better personality

​Since losing an eye affects a person’s self-esteem or self-confidence, it definitely affects their totality as an individual. This is caused by unfair treatment, inconsiderate and insensitive treatment of strangers to those who have lost an eye or both eyes. It sometimes drives them to question their own identity and loses their own worthiness. However, many studies have already stated that wearing a prosthetic eye show several signs of improvement in a person's identity. They regain their own worth as an individual as they recover their confidence in doing things in society. They become a better person after wearing a prosthetic eye. 

6. Brings back social functions

Lastly, since the fitting and wearing a prosthetic eye builds or rebuilds self-esteem and self-confidence and makes an individual's personality a better one, it will definitely demonstrate in a person's social well-being. They start again to communicate and attend social functions and become a more productive member of society.
Although Prosthetic eyes are not designed to restore ones impaired or lost vision, its enhancement on a person’s appearance and the rebuilding and improvement of his or her emotions is surely guaranteed.

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​References: 
Benefits of Prosthetic Eyes. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2019, from http://www.waterdownoptometric.ca/view/article_4.3conx 
Benefits of Wearing a Prosthetic Eye. (2018, December 19). Retrieved April 23, 2019, from http://www.seocularists.com/2018/08/30/benefits-of-wearing-a-prosthetic-eye/

Dr Mark Paroli is a Licensed Doctor of Optometry in the Philippines who has special interest in Prosthetic Eye fitting, Low Vision Rehabilitation, Hard and Soft Contact Lens. He has been fitting custom made Artificial eyes in the Philippines for more than ten years.
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​[email protected]

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