Erickson Laboratories

General Prosthetic Care
Always Use clean hands and good hygiene when handling conformers, prosthetic eyes or scleral covers shell .

Remove the ocular prosthesis only as necessary to clean, or as often as decided by your Ocularist at Erickson Laboratories.

Too much handling can cause socket irritation and result in excessive secretions. (Scleral Cover shell patients remove the prosthesis while sleeping.)

Use only water that is free from impurities. Do not use alcohol or other products, as they could be harmful to the prosthesis!

Matter build-up can be removed with the prosthesis IN or OUT.

OUT Method
Soak the eye in warm water for 5-10 minutes, this will re-hydrate the matter, then blot dry with tissue.

IN Method
Soak outward matter with a warm wet cloth held to prosthesis for 5-10 minutes to re-hydrate the matter then blot dry. Do not rub, as rubbing can cause the eye to rotate in the socket.
Never use Kleenex tissues to store your artificial eye in – other members in the household have innocently thrown many away. Put it in the plastic box that is given to you at Erickson Laboratories.

It is important to have an artificial eye checked and polished as least twice a year to avoid unnecessary discomfort to the patient as a result of protein deposits or scratches on the surface on the artificial eye. An artificial eye should be replaced every five years.

Removal of a Scleral Cover Shell

Step 1: Use pointer finger to swipe inside bottom lid and under eye, from nose to ear.
Step 2: Guide the shell forward out of the socket to avoid pressure and excessive contact with the existing eye.
Step 3: Be ready to catch the cover shell so it does not fall to the ground.

Placing a Scleral Cover Shell

Step 1: Lift upper lid to create an opening
Step 2: With the "nasal edge" of the Scleral cover shell pointing towards your nose, push the eye under your upper lid, and into socket. Look down with the existing eye to avoid pressure and excessive contact.
Step 3: Release upper lid, while holding cover shell in place.
Step 4: With your other hand, carefully pull bottom lid until cover shell drops into place.

These Procedures will be taught to you before you leave Erickson Laboratories.

Removal of an Artificial Eye

Step 1: Use pointer finger to swipe inside bottom lid and under eye, from nose to ear.
Step 2: Be ready to catch the eye so it does not fall to the ground.

Placing an Artificial Eye

Step 1: Lift upper lid to create an opening.
Step 2: With the "nasal edge" of the artificial eye pointing towards your nose, push the eye under your upper lid, and into socket.
Step 3: Release upper lid, while holding eye in place.
Step 4: With your other hand, carefully pull bottom lid until eye drops into place.

These Procedures will be taught to you before you leave Erickson Laboratories.

Keep in mind, if secretions have built up behind the conformer drainage will take place as the conformer is removed.

Removal of a Conformer

Step 1: Use pointer finger to swipe inside bottom lid and under eye, from nose to ear.
Step 2: Be ready to catch the eye so it does not fall to the ground.

Placing a Conformer
Step 1: Lift upper lid to create an opening
Step 2: With the "nasal edge" of the artificial eye pointing towards your nose, push the eye under your upper lid, and into socket.
Step 3: Release upper lid, while holding eye in place.
Step 4: With your other hand, carefully pull bottom lid until eye drops into place.

Follow the Prosthetic Care procedures when cleaning the conformer.