An ocularist is a specially trained clinician / technician skilled in the art of taking impressions, painting an artificial iris, sculpting and fitting an ocular prosthesis. An ocularist also provides long term maintenance by periodic examination of the prosthesis for the continuing comfort and the health of the eye socket and to ensure optimum cosmetic confidence for the patient concerned.

An ocularist fabricates and fits only custom made prostheses, from raw material through to final fitting and beyond to lifetime care for the patient.

A Tailor-made prosthesis is made taking an impression of your eye socket that will maximise the comfort of the prosthesis and will make it easier for you to adapt as well as optimize the movement of the artificial eye. With this technique the prosthesis will fit to the contour of your socket, maintaining the health and avoiding deformity of the orbit.

The painting of the Iris is done in front of the patient copying from the other eye this gives more accuracy than copying from a photograph.

In contrast, a Stock Artificial Eye is mass-produced and not custom made for the individual's socket or colour.

If you are wearing a cosmetic shell it has to be removed every night to give the eye a break. It has to be clean in the morning before you insert it back in.

If you are wearing a prosthetic eye we recommend not to remove it unless it is uncomfortable or to clean it.

As a general guide the advice is that you have a routine check up and polish every 12 months. It is very important to have a regular review to check any changes in your socket and to get the prosthesis professionally polished.

It is normal to have a certain amount of discharge in your socket, this varies from one person to the next. Some weather conditions or atmospheric changes could affect this as well.