Prosthetic Contact Lenses
For eye doctors in the special field of optometry, it is such a fulfilling experience to pave the way for a positive change in a patient's life. That also includes the family and the people around them. This happens when through treatment or providing eyeglasses, contact lenses and some other surgical procedures, patients changes how they see the world and life in general. However, the interesting part is how to let the world change its view on these eye patients. We must say that Prosthetics is, so far, the best solution to this challenge. So, it's good to see how this will help:
What is a Prosthetic contact lens?
a Prosthetic Contact Lens ready to be fitted
Prosthetics was defined and elaborated by Shiel (2018) by saying that a prosthetic actually refers to any artificial substitute or replacement of a body part. These body parts include but is not limited to, a tooth, an eye, a facial bone, the palate, a hip, a knee or another joint, the leg, an arm, etc. The appeal of the prosthesis is that it can be both functional and has cosmetic applications. Additionally, prosthetic is also referred to as replacement and arthroplasty. One of the prosthetic that has been proven useful is the prosthetic contact lenses.
Prosthetic contact lenses are revolutionary prosthesis where it is used as a type of craniofacial prosthesis. This means that it replaces an absent natural eye in cases after eye removal surgery. These are usually used to give an improved appearance for someone who had an eye trauma, eye disease or an impaired function in the eye. Prosthetic Contact Lenses are beneficial for a variety of eye diseases or injury such as helping make a prosthetic eye look more natural, aniridia or incomplete formation of the pupil, albinism or lack of color in the eye, eye injury or trauma, diplopia or double vision, and eye conditions related with eye-sensitivity. Greenspan (2015) found out that prosthetic contact lenses helped improve the eyesight of patients with eye conditions related to light sensitivity. Prosthetic lenses are not just helping improve the appearance of the eyes of those patients who had undergone enucleation and evisceration, it also gives hope in fixing eye issues related to light sensitivity. Furthermore, in a study by Yildirim, Basmak, and Sahin (2006) it was concluded that the use of the prosthesis in fitting over a disfigured or blind eye can be a successful medication or therapy. This is all the while keeping intact with the integrity of the orbital anatomy and making improvements on the cosmetic appearance of the patient. It is also a bonus that it can accelerate the rehabilitation process of the patient with the disfigured or blind eye.
Below is a table on indications that an individual needs prosthetic lenses and these contact lenses as possible solutions.
Indication/s
Use of Prosthetic Lens
Prosthetic contact lenses are revolutionary prosthesis where it is used as a type of craniofacial prosthesis. This means that it replaces an absent natural eye in cases after eye removal surgery. These are usually used to give an improved appearance for someone who had an eye trauma, eye disease or an impaired function in the eye. Prosthetic Contact Lenses are beneficial for a variety of eye diseases or injury such as helping make a prosthetic eye look more natural, aniridia or incomplete formation of the pupil, albinism or lack of color in the eye, eye injury or trauma, diplopia or double vision, and eye conditions related with eye-sensitivity. Greenspan (2015) found out that prosthetic contact lenses helped improve the eyesight of patients with eye conditions related to light sensitivity. Prosthetic lenses are not just helping improve the appearance of the eyes of those patients who had undergone enucleation and evisceration, it also gives hope in fixing eye issues related to light sensitivity. Furthermore, in a study by Yildirim, Basmak, and Sahin (2006) it was concluded that the use of the prosthesis in fitting over a disfigured or blind eye can be a successful medication or therapy. This is all the while keeping intact with the integrity of the orbital anatomy and making improvements on the cosmetic appearance of the patient. It is also a bonus that it can accelerate the rehabilitation process of the patient with the disfigured or blind eye.
Below is a table on indications that an individual needs prosthetic lenses and these contact lenses as possible solutions.
Indication/s
Use of Prosthetic Lens
- Corneal Abnormalities
- As a patch during vision therapy
- Trauma or post-surgical complications
- Reduce glare/photophobia
- Ocular disease
- Intractable binocular diplopia
- Iris Abnormalities
- Globe Abnormalities
- Pupil Abnormalities
- Phthisis Bulbi
What’s the use of Prosthetic contact lens?
A study by Collins, McChesney, McCluer, and Schatz (2008) reached the conclusion that prosthetic contact lenses make a feasible therapy for amblyopia. There is, of course, considerations to be made regarding the degree of penalization and different iris print patterns and pupil sizes. These are all achieved with the help of peripheral fusion that can actually be preserved with some lenses. With this in mind, prosthetic contact lenses, as stated above, are both functional and can improve cosmetic appearance. That is why it is the most appealing choice than other amblyopia treatment modalities. All these factors stated may improve and enhance occlusion therapy.
What are the types of Prosthetic contact lenses?
Supporting the notion of an improved cosmetic appearance and functionality, these prosthetic lenses have three types which include tinted lenses, computer-generated lenses, and hand painted lenses. Generally, for prosthetic lenses, there is a three lens option when it comes to cosmetic purposes. This includes transparent tinting, standard opaque designs, and custom hand-painted lenses. Transparent tinted lenses are tinted but transparent in nature wherein when it is worn, it changes the appearance of the eye especially it's color. This is the most common type of prosthetic lenses that are being used today. Standard opaque designs are just like standard lenses with the feature of clear or black backing. This is the cheapest of the types of lenses that are being used. Custom hand-painted lenses have two types. The first type is colored in front of the lens while the second is painted with three-dimensional designs which makes it a truly realistic look. Additionally, In the American Academy of Optometry, Malooley (2018) shared that for each type of prosthetic contact lenses, there are benefits. The lens with the transparent tinting, for example, is less expensive, has comparably good reproducibility, and takes a shorter amount of manufacturing time. Opaque designs, on the other hand, can control light that enters, and just like in transparent tinting, has a quicker manufacturing time and is highly reproducible. Moreover, the custom hand paint lens is fully customized and therefore has color variations that can fit the specific eye color because it pays attention to the details and it has the ability to alter scleral details.
One further technological advancement in prosthetics contact lenses is its new type that is soft. These lenses are just like the normal ones except with the additional functionality such as pupil and iris occlusion for glare and photophobia related eye issues.
One further technological advancement in prosthetics contact lenses is its new type that is soft. These lenses are just like the normal ones except with the additional functionality such as pupil and iris occlusion for glare and photophobia related eye issues.
What are the preparations in getting Prosthetic Contact Lenses?
Prosthetic Contact lenses just like other prosthetics need a proper and thorough preparation in order to serve its purpose. To get prosthetic contact lenses, an individual must first take a comprehensive eye exam. The eyes of the patient will then be deeply examined to check eye conditions that might hinder a successful prosthetic contact lens wear. After the exam, the patient goes to do contact lens exam. There are also other times when the ophthalmologist would take a picture of a patient’s eyes for future references, specifically a close-up photo even after taking a contact lens exam already. The information obtained from the patient is then sent to the manufacturer and the lenses are made with great accuracy to make sure that it matches the appearance of the other eye. Some doctors already have a sample of the contact lenses the patient will be needing and allow them to test how effective it is on their eye.
References:
Greenspan, L. D. (2015). Prosthetic Contact Lenses in Post-Concussion Photophobia. ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract,56(7), 2015th ser. Retrieved April 7, 2019, from https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2332916.
Stephenson, M. (n.d.). Prosthetic Contact Lenses. Retrieved April 7, 2019, from https://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/prosthetic-contact-lenses.htm?fbclid=IwAR12b6VRGRiRiiYPqymkliKH9hM1DbPGUaimOHm3jxWYQscjbhqRfCrvpYc
Lam, D. (2015, March 01). Soft Contact Lenses for Prosthetic Fitting. Retrieved April 8, 2015, from https://www.clspectrum.com/issues/2015/march-2015/soft-contact-lenses-for-prosthetic-fitting
Benefits of Prosthetic Contact Lenses. (2013, July 3). Retrieved April 8, 2019, from https://www.ozcontacts.com.au/blog/benefits-prosthetic-contact-lenses
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16538133
https://www.aaopt.org/docs/2018/2018-handouts/cl/v1__ses_cl-07.pdf?sfvrsn=ae5f51e0_4
https://www.jaapos.org/article/S1091-8531(08)00150-X/full text
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15985
Greenspan, L. D. (2015). Prosthetic Contact Lenses in Post-Concussion Photophobia. ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract,56(7), 2015th ser. Retrieved April 7, 2019, from https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2332916.
Stephenson, M. (n.d.). Prosthetic Contact Lenses. Retrieved April 7, 2019, from https://www.allaboutvision.com/contacts/prosthetic-contact-lenses.htm?fbclid=IwAR12b6VRGRiRiiYPqymkliKH9hM1DbPGUaimOHm3jxWYQscjbhqRfCrvpYc
Lam, D. (2015, March 01). Soft Contact Lenses for Prosthetic Fitting. Retrieved April 8, 2015, from https://www.clspectrum.com/issues/2015/march-2015/soft-contact-lenses-for-prosthetic-fitting
Benefits of Prosthetic Contact Lenses. (2013, July 3). Retrieved April 8, 2019, from https://www.ozcontacts.com.au/blog/benefits-prosthetic-contact-lenses
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16538133
https://www.aaopt.org/docs/2018/2018-handouts/cl/v1__ses_cl-07.pdf?sfvrsn=ae5f51e0_4
https://www.jaapos.org/article/S1091-8531(08)00150-X/full text
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15985
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.
markparoli@artificialeye.ph
markparoli@artificialeye.ph