Eye Socket Infection: Signs, Types, and Treatments

Whether you’ve recently had a prosthetic eye or worn them for years, you know that regular cleaning, maintenance, and replacement (if needed) are necessary to keep your eye socket in top shape. However, even with all these precautions, eye socket infections can sometimes be inevitable.

What are the signs of an eye infection? Are there different types? What are the treatments available? Get your questions answered in this post.

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Signs of an Eye Socket Infection

Itching sensation in your eye socket

One of the most prominent signs of an infection is an itchy or scratchy sensation around or at the back of the eye socket when your prosthetic eye is placed. 

What causes this? Dust particles and other foreign bodies can enter the eye socket when the prosthetic eye is placed without proper cleaning. This can result in mucus buildup and irritation.

Teary eyes and discharge

If you constantly experience watery eyes, yellow-green discharge, or tear collection in the gaps between your artificial eye and socket, this could also be a potential sign of an infection.

What causes this? Irritants in the environment such as dust, pollen, and other foreign bodies that enter the socket when placing the artificial eye can induce excess tears. Another cause of teary eyes or discharge is when your artificial eye may need maintenance or replacement, especially when it has changed shape and no longer fits your eye socket comfortably.

Signs of an Eye Socket Infection

Itching sensation in your eye socket

One of the most prominent signs of an infection is an itchy or scratchy sensation around or at the back of the eye socket when your prosthetic eye is placed. 

What causes this? Dust particles and other foreign bodies can enter the eye socket when the prosthetic eye is placed without proper cleaning. This can result in mucus buildup and irritation.

Teary eyes and discharge

If you constantly experience watery eyes, yellow-green discharge, or tear collection in the gaps between your artificial eye and socket, this could also be a potential sign of an infection.

What causes this? Irritants in the environment such as dust, pollen, and other foreign bodies that enter the socket when placing the artificial eye can induce excess tears. Another cause of teary eyes or discharge is when your artificial eye may need maintenance or replacement, especially when it has changed shape and no longer fits your eye socket comfortably.

Types of Eye Socket Infections

If you’re experiencing any of the signs and symptoms mentioned above, the treatment you’ll need depends on the type of infection. 

Your health care provider can determine if you have any of the following:

  • Infection caused by irritants
  • Infection caused by a prosthetic eye in need of maintenance or replacement
  • Bacterial or viral infections
  • Allergic reactions

Your provider may ask questions about your health history and the infection signs you’re currently experiencing. They may also need information about your prosthetic eye.

Eye Socket Infection Treatment

The first thing to do when addressing a prosthetic eye socket infection is to contact a health care provider, such as your general doctor or your ophthalmologist. They will carefully evaluate the condition and determine the type of treatment you’ll need.

Treatment options

They can often prescribe medication or topical treatments to help clear up eye discharge and reduce redness, pain, and swelling  caused by viral or bacterial infections. If you’re experiencing an allergic reaction, they may also prescribe antihistamines and other anti-allergy medicines that can help reduce the symptoms. 

Prosthetic eye maintenance or replacement

Wearing an old ill fitting prosthetic eye can occasionally cause infection. In such cases, your provider will recommend seeing an ocularist to clean, repair, or replace your artificial eye. Our team of board-certified ocularists at Carolina Eye Prosthetics is ready to guide you in this process.

Learn more about Carolina Eye Prosthetics.

Considering prosthetic eye maintenance, replacement, or are you thinking about getting a new prosthetic eye? We’re here to help! Schedule an appointment today or request a video call at the links below.