Anophthalmos (Loss of one eye)

It is very rare to be born with an eye missing, but an eye can be lost at any time in life due to trauma, infection or disease. When surgery is performed to remove a damaged eye the operation is called enucleation. Once the eye has been removed the surgeon inserts a prosthetic implant into the eye socket to create as normal an appearance as possible.

Eye implants

Eye implants can be made from several different materials. Common materials currently used include:

• Hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate hydroxide compound which is derived from marine coral. This material is also found in bone. It is porous and allows blood vessels to grow around it, so that the implant essentially becomes part of the eye socket.
• Silicone
• Glass
• Grafts of fat from elsewhere in the body