Following a surgical procedure to remove an affected eye, there is a four to six week healing period before a prosthetic eye can be fit.  During this time most patients will wear a clear ocular conformer.  This temporary acrylic plastic shield is used both to protect the healing eye socket, and maintain the eye socket’s shape.

The importance of maintaining the eye socket’s shape can not be overstated.  At Ocular Prosthetics, Inc., we recommended the fitting of a well designed acrylic conformer as early as possible following surgery.  This should be worn until your prosthesis is made.  If you have any questions about wearing a post-surgical ocular conformer please contact our team of board certified ocularists today.

One of the most important parts of the prosthetic eye fitting procedure is to manipulate the eyelids and other ocular structures into the desired positions.  However, extensive conformer stent therapy, using a series of 5-10 stents over several months following an enucleation and before receiving a prosthesis, is almost never recommended.  Most ocularists and ophthalmologist don’t believe this will enhance prosthetic eye movement and may even be harmful.  These irregular forms can even be a limiting factor in the comfort, movement, and appearance of the final prosthesis.

If you have any concerns about the transition period between surgery and artificial eye restoration, contact any of our five Southern California office locations:  Los Angeles, Encino, Orange, Torrance, and Santa Barbara.  We look forward to hearing from you.