Resources
Glossary of terms
Clear, plain-language definitions of the terms you may hear during your care.
- Acrylic Eye
- A prosthetic eye made from durable, medical-grade acrylic. Acrylic eyes are commonly used for patients who have lost an eye to trauma or disease.
- Anisometropia
- A condition in which the two eyes have unequal refractive power, so vision is sharper in one eye than the other.
- Aqueous Humor
- The clear fluid that fills the space between the cornea and the lens of the eye.
- Corneal Prosthesis
- A prosthetic device placed directly on the cornea, sometimes used for patients who have lost corneal function due to injury or disease.
- Enucleation
- The surgical removal of the entire eye, often performed when an eye is severely injured or diseased.
- Evisceration
- A surgical procedure that removes the interior contents of the eye while leaving the outer scleral shell intact.
- Expansion Conformer
- A conformer used to gradually enlarge an underdeveloped socket, often in infants and children.
- Intraocular Implant
- A device placed inside the eye, often used to replace the eye's natural lens.
- Microphthalmia
- Abnormally small eye(s) present at birth.
- Ocular Prosthesis (Artificial Eye)
- An artificial eye used to replace a missing or removed eye. Ocular prostheses can be made from a variety of materials, including acrylic, glass, and other medical-grade plastics.
- Ocularist
- A healthcare professional who specializes in the fabrication, fitting, and painting of custom artificial eyes.
- Orbital Implant
- A round implant placed in the eye socket during surgery to restore volume, maintain the socket's shape, and support the prosthetic eye.
- Polishing / Resurfacing
- Routine maintenance that restores a smooth, comfortable prosthesis surface.
- Scleral Shell
- A thin prosthesis made from durable acrylic that fits over a blind, disfigured, or shrunken eye to restore a natural appearance.
- Symblepharon
- A condition in which the conjunctiva (the membrane covering the eye) adheres to itself or to the eyeball, which can make wearing a prosthesis difficult.
- Visual Field
- The full area a person can see with one eye while the head and eye remain still. The visual field can be reduced by conditions such as glaucoma.
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