A specialized and highly skilled professional, the Ocularist is trained to fit, paint and fabricate custom designed ocular prostheses (artificial eyes).
Ocularists are uniquely qualified to assist patients who have experienced a blinding illness or injury. They work in tandem with ophthalmologists, optometrists, plastic surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons to help patients become more functional, comfortable and socially integrated. They are considered to be a bridge between science and art. Their lifelike artificial eyes are now made primarily of hard acrylic plastic rather than glass, making them more natural and durable than ever before.
In addition to the artistic and technical aspects of their craft, ocularists must possess compassion and a delicate touch in dealing with patients who have suffered the traumatic loss of an eye. It is not uncommon for these individuals to be in pain and feeling a great deal of anxiety and trepidation about their future.
Prosthetic eyes are a means of not only improving function and restoring a sense of normalcy, but also promoting self-esteem and improved quality of life. Ocularists strive to match the color, shape and iris pattern of the individual's other healthy eye in order to create a more natural appearance, even down to the minuscule veins surrounding the iris. This process often takes many months.
Most of the time, ocularists work with adults who have lost an eye due to trauma, disease or congenital pathologies. However, ocularists are also frequently called upon to help children with ocular anomalies such as clinical anophthalmia or functionalless microphthalmia. These situations require a more delicate approach than with adults since these individuals are often very young and in much greater emotional distress.
Many medical insurance plans cover ocular prosthetics. The cost of a replacement eye, however, can be very expensive. For this reason, it is important to choose a reputable ocularist who can produce a high-quality eye for the price you are willing to pay.Looking More Ocularist
In most cases, ocularists are board certified. This certification requires passing a written exam and completing a number of on the job hours apprenticing under a certified ocularist.
An ocularist's initial step in the creation of an artificial eye is to take an alginate impression of the socket. The impression is then filled with a wax pattern and duplicated in plastic. This ensures a proper fit and minimizes irritation to the sensitive tissue that contains the residual eye. The ocularist may polish the acrylic surface of the prosthesis and/or apply a prosthetic eyeliner. The ocularist is also responsible for monitoring the health of the eye socket by taking an x-ray and/or ultrasonography as needed. This helps detect early signs of bone disease that can affect the alignment of the prosthesis. The ocularist must regularly polish the ocular prosthesis to maintain its appearance and to preserve the health of the socket. It is recommended that infants under 3 years be seen every three months; children under 9 be seen twice yearly, and all other patients at least once a year.
