Prosthetic Contact Lenses

Who prosthetic lenses help

• Corneal scarring or a white cornea from injury or infection, where the lens restores a natural appearance
• Iris defects: a torn or missing iris (aniridia), coloboma, or a fixed dilated pupil after trauma or surgery, which cause severe glare; a painted iris with a normal-sized pupil reduces light entering the eye
• Albinism and other conditions with light sensitivity
• Heterochromia or discoloration after injury, where the patient wants matching eyes
• Amblyopia treatment in children, where an opaque lens occludes the stronger eye as an alternative to patching
• Intractable double vision, where an occluding lens blocks the second image

How the lens is made

The fellow eye is photographed in daylight and its iris color, pattern and pupil size are recorded, along with the corneal measurements of the eye to be fitted. A trial lens establishes the fit and, if the eye sees, its prescription. The lens is then hand-painted by a specialist laboratory to match, in a soft material, with the pupil either clear, tinted or opaque as required, and backed with an opaque layer that hides the eye behind it. The first lens is checked against the fellow eye and adjusted for color and pupil size if needed.

Wearing and care

Prosthetic lenses are worn like other soft lenses, removed at night, and cleaned with standard soft lens solutions, avoiding products that could lift the paint. They are replaced roughly yearly. Follow-up checks the health of the eye beneath, which is particularly important in an eye with reduced sensation or a compromised surface.

Cost and coverage

Prosthetic lenses for a medical indication, such as aniridia, a traumatic iris defect or a disfigured eye, are often covered by medical insurance as medically necessary. Our team checks your coverage before fitting.