If you have to wear ocular prosthetics you already know that they are relatively maintenance free. Just keeping them clean and infection free will often be enough for an eye to last many years. There are some other do’s and don’ts that those people new to ocular prosthetics may not be aware of.

If you do sports, especially swimming or any contact sports, look after your eye. It is better to wear a protective patch instead of the eye, but if that isn’t possible then protective glasses or goggles should be worn. More artificial eyes are lost during sports than any other way. It isn’t only embarrassing, but can result in losing the eye completely and having to have one made from scratch all over again. Cold weather, dry weather and wind can make an eye uncomfortable to wear. Wearing goggles or glasses can prevent this, using eye drops may help too.

If you take the eye out for any reason, ensure it doesn’t come into contact with any chemicals like alcohol, hair spray or solvent. Not only will it damage the eye but can cause irritation in the eye socket making it impossible to wear until it goes away. If you do remove the eye, make sure it has somewhere safe to sit. Don’t leave it on a tissue on the counter or anywhere. This is another classic way of losing them. Always exercise extreme cleanliness when handling the eye. Even if the socket is completely healed, it can still be susceptible to infection. Handle it carefully and ensure that your hands, the surface and the eye are thoroughly clean before putting it back in.

If the eye gets itchy or irritated, remember to rub it with the lid closed and towards the nose. Wiping away from the nose can make the eye fall out, even with the lid closed.

It is important to have regular check-ups, at least once a year to ensure the eye is still a good fit and in good condition. Don’t let anyone other than your ocularist polish the eye. Despite being hard wearing, the finish on the eye is very delicate and could easily be scratched if not done properly. Improper polishing can also result in the fit of the eye changing. Even minute changes in profile can completely alter the way the eye fits and how comfortable it is.

If you have to have medical or dental treatment for anything else you may need to remove the eye beforehand. Some anaesthetics have been known to affect the finish of the eye to such an extent that replacement has been necessary.

The last but most important piece of advice is to look after your remaining eye. You only have the one now and losing that would change your life drastically. Don’t take unnecessary risks with it, don’t abuse it or tire it out too much. It is all you have for the rest of your life, so look after it.