Enucleation, evisceration, secondary orbital implantation

Abstract

Loss of an eye to tumor, trauma, or end stage ocular disease is a devastating condition. There is a loss of binocular vision with a reduced field of vision and loss of depth perception. Job limitations are often a result of lost binocularity, and affected individuals may experience a sense of facial disfigurement and poor self-esteem. The psychological trauma to the patient from loss of the eye may be worse than the physical disability in some instances. Few operations in ophthalmic surgery requires as much compassion on the part of the ophthalmologist as that needed to counsel a patient preparing to undergo removal of an eye. The anophthalmic surgeon must outline expected postoperative care and appearance, review potential problems, and provide emotional assistance in returning the patient to a productive life. Since eye contact is such an essential part of human interaction, it is extremely important for the artificial eye patient to maintain a natural, normal appearing prosthetic eye.