4 Tips for Socket Health and Preventing Infection

A prosthetic eye can be life-changing, even liberating. With a new prosthetic eye often comes a boost to your self-confidence. It can also make you feel more like yourself and less self-conscious.

Just like any other part of your body, it’s important to keep your eye socket healthy so you can avoid any infections or discomfort.

If your eye socket is ever red, swollen, irritated, painful, or you can’t get your prosthetic eye back into your eye socket, don’t delay in calling your ocularist.

Can my prosthetic eye cause an infection?

It doesn’t happen often, but it is possible that your eye socket can become infected or inflamed. With some preventative measures, you can avoid discomfort and difficulties. 

Here are 4 easy tips for avoiding eye socket issues:

  1. Wash your hands before handling your prosthetic eye. Keeping your hands clean when handling your prosthesis will help prevent spreading any germs to your eye socket. You do not need to flush out your eye socket unless recommended by a doctor.
  2. Keep your prosthetic eye and scleral shell clean by washing with mild soap and water. Make sure you rinse your prosthetic eye really well and let it air dry before reinserting it. Wiping it with a cloth could transfer particles to your prosthetic eye, leading to an infection in your eye socket.

    You don’t have to take your prosthetic eye out every day or even every week, but we do recommend removing and cleaning it at least once every few weeks. How often you take it out will depend on your level of comfort and routine. 
  1. Store your prosthetic eye properly. When you’re not wearing your prosthetic eye, it’s important to store it in liquid so it doesn’t dry out. You can store it in water with a pinch of salt or an over-the-counter contact lens solution.
  2. Have your prosthetic eye professionally cleaned and polished every six months. Even if you’re cleaning your prosthesis regularly at home, you still need to have it professionally cleaned and polished as your custom prosthesis requires a certain type of compound for proper cleaning.

Have you heard about our VIP program? You’ll earn fun, free perks when you get your prosthetic eye cleaned and polished at Carolina Eye Prosthetics every six months. Read more at carolinaeyeprosthetics.com/vip-program.

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