Caring For Your Child's Fake Eye

This page contains information on:

• your child's temporary artificial (fake) eye (the conformer)
• your child's permanent fake eye

What is a conformer?

After your child's eye is removed, your child will wear a temporary fake eye called a conformer. The conformer is like a big hard contact lens or a plastic shell. Your child will wear it until the eye socket is healed and your child is fitted with a permanent fake eye.

Conformer

The conformer is an oval piece of plastic that may have an eye painted on it. Your child will wear this conformer until he is fitted with a permanent fake eye.

The conformer helps the eye socket heal properly. The conformer also helps the eyelid  keep its normal shape. Your child should wear the conformer all the time. If it is not causing problems, do not take it out.
The conformer should not hurt your child. You will not hurt your child or damage the socket by moving the conformer. If it falls out, you can put it back in.

When the eye socket has healed, your child will get a permanent fake eye

When your child’s eye socket has healed, your child will get a permanent fake eye. The fake eye will be fitted when all the swelling has healed, so that the eye will fit properly. This is usually at least 6 to 8 weeks after the operation.
The person who will custom-make your child’s permanent fake eye is called an ocularist. The doctor will send you to see the ocularist when your child’s eye socket has healed. 
The ocularist will make the fake eye match your child’s other eye. The look and colour of the two eyes will be the same. The pupil of the fake eye will be a normal size, but it will not change size like a normal eye does when the light gets brighter or dimmer.
The ocularist will tell you how to care for your child’s fake eye.

If your child’s fake eye comes out, you can put it back in

If the fake eye falls out, putting it back in does not hurt. It takes time and practice. It is a new experience for you and your child, so both of you will probably be worried until you are used to it. When you are used to putting it back, it will be easy and painless.
Your child’s doctor will prescribe a special eye ointment to help the fake eye go in.
Follow these steps carefully to put your child’s fake eye back in:

Wash and rinse your hands thoroughly. Wash the fake eye under running water. Put the eye ointment into the socket and on the inside of the conformer. This will help to make the fake eye slide in more easily. Hold the fake eye between the thumb and first finger of one hand. Gently pull up your child’s upper eyelid with the thumb of the other hand. Make sure the eyelid is dry, so it is easy to open.

Slide the fake eye under your child’s upper eyelid into the socket.

Hold the fake eye in place in the eye socket under the eyelid with your first finger. Remember that even though it looks like a real eyeball, it is just hard plastic. You are not going to hurt your child by putting a finger on it. Pull the lower eyelid down with your thumb so that the lower edge of the fake eye slides into the fold behind the lower lid.

You should be able to see all of the eyelashes along the lower lid when the fake eye is in place.

Your child should wear the fake eye all the time

Your child’s fake eye is designed to be worn day and night. Less handling is better.
Rarely, you may have to take out the fake eye to clean it. When the eye is taken out, it should be stored in plain water or a contact lens soaking solution to keep the plastic moist.
Your child's ocularist will tell you how often to clean the eye.

The ocularist will check the fake eye to make sure it is in good condition

The ocularist will check the fake eye once a year. The fake eye will be checked for scratches, surface deposits, pits, or roughness. These can cause irritation or infection. The ocularist will also see if changes are needed. The eye doctor will tell you if your child needs check-ups more often.
If you have any concerns or problems with your child’s fake eye, call the ocularist.
Name of ocularist: ________________________________________________
Telephone number: _______________________________________________

How long will the fake eye last?

There is no definite answer to this question. How long a fake eye lasts depends on the person’s age, how fast she grows, physical activities or condition, and how well your child takes care of the fake eye. Remember, your child will need to wear eye glasses to protect the good eye.

Paying for your child's fake eye

In Ontario, the Assistive Device Program (ADP) will cover approximately 50% of the expense of the fake eye. The social worker will be able to help you with this.

For more information:  

Key points
A conformer is a temporary big contact lens. It is used right after the enucleation. A permanent fake eye is fitted when your child's eye heals. If you have any problems with your child's fake eye, contact the ocularist or the eye doctor.