The question of how often a prosthetic eye needs to be replaced is one of the most overlooked in the older artificial eye wearing generation. Why do I say this you ask! Out of all my clients I see, the older generation quite often wears an artificial eye on average for more than 20 years before replacing it. Their number one reason is that “it has not been bothering me too much”. If you think of a prosthetic eye like an old shoe, it may be comfy and familiar but it isn’t always acting in your best interests. Eye socket health is a really important thing to remember. Over time your socket does change which means your prosthesis may not fit like it used to.
Maintain your artificial eye regularly.
Although having your eye polished every four to six months is really important and helps to promote a healthy socket, this doesn’t help with the fit of the prosthesis. You may begin to notice that you are having some discharge or your socket feels dry. Perhaps your eyelid is a bit droopy or the prosthesis has begun to spin easy. These are all signs of wear and some alarm bells should start going off that you may well need to consult your favourite Ocularist to get a prosthetic eye replaced and a new artificial eye made.