It’s not easy to explain to a child who has undergone significant medical treatment and surgery that the next step will involve the creation of an artificial eye. For an excellent explanation of the process, visit this site to read about Tino’s story.


Retinoblastoma is a cancer of the retina that affects infants and children under 5. Your surgeon may decide to remove your child’s eye if the tumor is too large. With the surgeon’s approval, the ocularist can begin treatment about four weeks after enucleation. The ocularist creates a custom-made, temporary artificial eye to replace the eye that has been removed.
The prosthetic device will be fitted with the utmost care to protect the child from any further trauma. Sessions for fitting and taking impressions are simple and painless. These processes do not require anesthesia or hospitalization.


Microphthalmia is an abnormality that causes an eye to be smaller than usual. This abnormality is rare and has varying degrees of severity, from mild to very severe.

How can your ocularist correct this difference?
As a first step, clear conformers (plastic shells that can help the eye socket to grow properly) will be created to expand the orbit and the eyelids. The ocularist will schedule regular appointments to adjust the conformer as your child grows. This will help your child’s face to grow symmetrically.

Once the orbit has reached a satisfactory size, it may be possible to replace the conformer with a scleral lens to give your child a “natural look”.


Anophthalmia is an extreme form of microphthalmia and is a very rare abnormality. It is the medical term for the absence of one or both eyes at birth. As with microphthalmia, it requires prompt treatment by your ocularist.

Treatment involves a lengthy process to expand the orbit in preparation for a custom-made artificial eye.