› Forums › Ocular Melanoma Community › Prosthetic eye is in !
- This topic has 15 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 1 month ago by
SuzannefromCA.
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- March 11, 2012 at 3:27 am
I went to an Ocularist in New Orleans who I wont name on 3/8/12, I'm not thrilled with the eye. At 8 weeks from enucleation I was ready for my prosthesis, he put me off a month because of Mardi Gras.
I went to an Ocularist in New Orleans who I wont name on 3/8/12, I'm not thrilled with the eye. At 8 weeks from enucleation I was ready for my prosthesis, he put me off a month because of Mardi Gras. During that month, I still had my conformer in from the enucleation, I could literally feel my socket area shrinking and sinking in. The prosthetic eye is in, upper lid hangs a bit, the prostheses looks quite a bit smaller than the other eye, it also looks like the whole eye area is lower than the other. The eye has been full of crud or whatever u call it each morning. Im so unhappy, no one told me that putting off the fitting for a month would cause the socket to shrink and sink. Friends and family just say it looks like a lazy eye, and not bad at all. I go back in 2 weeks for adjustment. I looked at pictures of people with prosthetic eyes, most perfectly match the other eye, I believe I got the bottom of the barrel as far as Ocularists go
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- March 11, 2012 at 6:39 am
Dear Tom,
I am sorry that you have had a frustrating experience with your ocularist. I wonder if can ask your ophthalmologist for another name or two so you can get a second opinion? If and when it is possible, I think it is usually a good idea to get a second and even third opinion– particularly if/when you are feeling uncomfortable about, or are unhappy with, care you are receiving…
Perhaps others on this forum will have additional information for you as well. And, if you would like to speak more privately about this, please feel free to email me offline at [email protected].
Hang in there,
Sara – CURE OM
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- March 11, 2012 at 6:39 am
Dear Tom,
I am sorry that you have had a frustrating experience with your ocularist. I wonder if can ask your ophthalmologist for another name or two so you can get a second opinion? If and when it is possible, I think it is usually a good idea to get a second and even third opinion– particularly if/when you are feeling uncomfortable about, or are unhappy with, care you are receiving…
Perhaps others on this forum will have additional information for you as well. And, if you would like to speak more privately about this, please feel free to email me offline at [email protected].
Hang in there,
Sara – CURE OM
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- March 11, 2012 at 6:39 am
Dear Tom,
I am sorry that you have had a frustrating experience with your ocularist. I wonder if can ask your ophthalmologist for another name or two so you can get a second opinion? If and when it is possible, I think it is usually a good idea to get a second and even third opinion– particularly if/when you are feeling uncomfortable about, or are unhappy with, care you are receiving…
Perhaps others on this forum will have additional information for you as well. And, if you would like to speak more privately about this, please feel free to email me offline at [email protected].
Hang in there,
Sara – CURE OM
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- March 11, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Hi Tom,
I've had my prosthetic eye since March, 2002. I don't think putting off the fitting caused the socket to shrink and sink. If I remember, it was about 3 mo. before I got my prosthesis. Also, over time it certainly has atrophied (?) since the beginning. My ocularist made mine a little bigger a couple of years ago. The last time I saw him, I asked if he could make it a little larger as I, like you, thought my lid was drooping a bit. He told me that if he made it any larger it would have more of a tendency to "just pop out"! He said they can surgically lift your lid, like women do when they have an eye lift (I think it's called a blef or something like that)? So, at least you can ask your ocularist about these two possibilities.
About the crud, you may just have to take it out and wash it as the build-up crud can cause irritation under the lid and just cause your eye to produce more crud! Get some contact lens cleaner and also some conditioner/cushioning/wetting solution. I wash the prosthesis with cleaner and then squirt a little cushioning solution on the back before putting back in. Also, my ocularist stressed to make sure you wash your hands before you clean and put prosthesis back in. I also use artificial tears all the time. Sometimes dry eyes can cause an irritaton and that causes more mucous in the eye. If none of this helps, see your eye doc. Mine has given me some antibiotic drops from time to time.
Good luck and hang in there. I takes a while to get used to.
Nan in Nebraska
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- March 11, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Hi Tom,
I've had my prosthetic eye since March, 2002. I don't think putting off the fitting caused the socket to shrink and sink. If I remember, it was about 3 mo. before I got my prosthesis. Also, over time it certainly has atrophied (?) since the beginning. My ocularist made mine a little bigger a couple of years ago. The last time I saw him, I asked if he could make it a little larger as I, like you, thought my lid was drooping a bit. He told me that if he made it any larger it would have more of a tendency to "just pop out"! He said they can surgically lift your lid, like women do when they have an eye lift (I think it's called a blef or something like that)? So, at least you can ask your ocularist about these two possibilities.
About the crud, you may just have to take it out and wash it as the build-up crud can cause irritation under the lid and just cause your eye to produce more crud! Get some contact lens cleaner and also some conditioner/cushioning/wetting solution. I wash the prosthesis with cleaner and then squirt a little cushioning solution on the back before putting back in. Also, my ocularist stressed to make sure you wash your hands before you clean and put prosthesis back in. I also use artificial tears all the time. Sometimes dry eyes can cause an irritaton and that causes more mucous in the eye. If none of this helps, see your eye doc. Mine has given me some antibiotic drops from time to time.
Good luck and hang in there. I takes a while to get used to.
Nan in Nebraska
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- March 11, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Hi Tom,
I've had my prosthetic eye since March, 2002. I don't think putting off the fitting caused the socket to shrink and sink. If I remember, it was about 3 mo. before I got my prosthesis. Also, over time it certainly has atrophied (?) since the beginning. My ocularist made mine a little bigger a couple of years ago. The last time I saw him, I asked if he could make it a little larger as I, like you, thought my lid was drooping a bit. He told me that if he made it any larger it would have more of a tendency to "just pop out"! He said they can surgically lift your lid, like women do when they have an eye lift (I think it's called a blef or something like that)? So, at least you can ask your ocularist about these two possibilities.
About the crud, you may just have to take it out and wash it as the build-up crud can cause irritation under the lid and just cause your eye to produce more crud! Get some contact lens cleaner and also some conditioner/cushioning/wetting solution. I wash the prosthesis with cleaner and then squirt a little cushioning solution on the back before putting back in. Also, my ocularist stressed to make sure you wash your hands before you clean and put prosthesis back in. I also use artificial tears all the time. Sometimes dry eyes can cause an irritaton and that causes more mucous in the eye. If none of this helps, see your eye doc. Mine has given me some antibiotic drops from time to time.
Good luck and hang in there. I takes a while to get used to.
Nan in Nebraska
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- March 11, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Tom, I forgot to add that when I take my prosthesis out to clean, I flush out the socket to get rid of any gunk before putting it back in. I also flush my eyes with the eye wash when I get up during the night. That sometimes will help so not as much crud builds up.
Nan
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- March 16, 2012 at 3:47 am
Tomorrow my prosthesis will have been in for a week and I've had time to get used to it. I did give my occularist a call and he assured me that the prosthesis will be built up when I go back in 2 weeks. He did not want to build it up too much on the 1st fitting, he wanted me to get used to it, and let it settle 1st, (shrugs) whatever, lol, as long as he can tweak it ! Thank you all for your concern, I just read my original post and , goodness, I looked like a 6 year old spoiled kid crying 🙂 I'm over the initial shock now, and the truth is, I had this notion that I would look the same as before, and that was not realistic. I should be thankful that Im alive and healthy now. Ill keep you all informed.
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- March 21, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Hi Tom, it’s good to hear from you. I guess there is so much to learn from the process of this and I am glad you are adjusting slowly but surely. I will be having a consultation about my prosthetic procedure at the end of March. I am seeing Juan Garcia. He is an anaplastologist. He will be constructing not only my eye, but making the surrounding artificial lids an skin all around the area.You should check him out on google, he is from Johns Hopkins. I am excited to start looking normal again!
Hope to hear more of your journey!
~Suzanne -
- March 21, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Hi Tom, it’s good to hear from you. I guess there is so much to learn from the process of this and I am glad you are adjusting slowly but surely. I will be having a consultation about my prosthetic procedure at the end of March. I am seeing Juan Garcia. He is an anaplastologist. He will be constructing not only my eye, but making the surrounding artificial lids an skin all around the area.You should check him out on google, he is from Johns Hopkins. I am excited to start looking normal again!
Hope to hear more of your journey!
~Suzanne -
- March 21, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Hi Tom, it’s good to hear from you. I guess there is so much to learn from the process of this and I am glad you are adjusting slowly but surely. I will be having a consultation about my prosthetic procedure at the end of March. I am seeing Juan Garcia. He is an anaplastologist. He will be constructing not only my eye, but making the surrounding artificial lids an skin all around the area.You should check him out on google, he is from Johns Hopkins. I am excited to start looking normal again!
Hope to hear more of your journey!
~Suzanne -
- March 16, 2012 at 3:47 am
Tomorrow my prosthesis will have been in for a week and I've had time to get used to it. I did give my occularist a call and he assured me that the prosthesis will be built up when I go back in 2 weeks. He did not want to build it up too much on the 1st fitting, he wanted me to get used to it, and let it settle 1st, (shrugs) whatever, lol, as long as he can tweak it ! Thank you all for your concern, I just read my original post and , goodness, I looked like a 6 year old spoiled kid crying 🙂 I'm over the initial shock now, and the truth is, I had this notion that I would look the same as before, and that was not realistic. I should be thankful that Im alive and healthy now. Ill keep you all informed.
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- March 16, 2012 at 3:47 am
Tomorrow my prosthesis will have been in for a week and I've had time to get used to it. I did give my occularist a call and he assured me that the prosthesis will be built up when I go back in 2 weeks. He did not want to build it up too much on the 1st fitting, he wanted me to get used to it, and let it settle 1st, (shrugs) whatever, lol, as long as he can tweak it ! Thank you all for your concern, I just read my original post and , goodness, I looked like a 6 year old spoiled kid crying 🙂 I'm over the initial shock now, and the truth is, I had this notion that I would look the same as before, and that was not realistic. I should be thankful that Im alive and healthy now. Ill keep you all informed.
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- March 11, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Tom, I forgot to add that when I take my prosthesis out to clean, I flush out the socket to get rid of any gunk before putting it back in. I also flush my eyes with the eye wash when I get up during the night. That sometimes will help so not as much crud builds up.
Nan
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- March 11, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Tom, I forgot to add that when I take my prosthesis out to clean, I flush out the socket to get rid of any gunk before putting it back in. I also flush my eyes with the eye wash when I get up during the night. That sometimes will help so not as much crud builds up.
Nan
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