Optometry: Open Access
Open Access

The loss of an eye is a major challenge for ones’ mental health [1,2]. Besides psychological issues, sudden acquired monocular vision requires adaptation to impaired depth perception, reduced peripheral visual field, [3,4] mucoid discharge, tearing, foreign body sensation, pruritus, and irritation [5]. It is reported that wearing and maintaining a prosthetic eye can reinstate appearance, comfort, and daily routine [6]. Research suggests that anophthalmic patients experience concern at the initial time of eye loss (appearance, health of the good eye, phantom eye sight etc.) and at the time of prosthesis fitting (comfort, retention, movement, color etc.) [5,7-9]. Studies have also postulated that a well fabricated prosthesis, a positive experience from the previous prosthesis [9] and giving time to adjust and accept the prosthesis [10] help improve the concerns of anophthalmic patients. Pine, et al. [4], Korani, et al. [7] and Shapira, et al. [8] have reported commonly experienced concerns in populations wearing poly methyl methacrylate prosthetic eyes and Rokohl, et al. [9] have summarised common concerns in populations wearing glass prosthetic eyes. Pine, et al. [4] (New Zealand) and Rokohl, et al. [9] (Germany) emphasised concerns about the health of the good eye whereas Korani, et al. [7] emphasized concerns towards watering crusting, discharge in India and Shapira, et al. [8] reported particular concerns towards motility and discomfort in study populations in the United Kingdom (UK). Concerns related to prosthesis fitting; general and prosthesis related appearance in all these countries reduced over time [5,7-9]. It is interesting to see that different countries have distinctly different patterns of concern related to ocular prosthesis wear compared to the study in India [7]. Hence, it would be worthwhile to understand how these concerns differ in these countries.

Studies have shown that unpleasant looks and comments from society can affect the mental health [10] of those trying to overcome the loss of an eye. Prosthetic eye motility helps avoid these negative looks and comments and is a top concern for study populations in UK [8] compared to other countries. It is proven that bilateral vision loss can affect many activities of daily living [11]. This could be a factor driving the concerns for the health of the remaining eye in New Zealand [5] and Germany [9]. Indian society is “collectivistic” where Indian families are closer to the patient, and more involved in their therapeutic management and giving moral support [12]. Thus prosthetic eye wearers in India [7] appear to be less concerned about their remaining eye and their appearance than western counterparts [5,8,9].

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