Artificial eye and facial prosthetic clinic

Types of Implants

There are a number of different implants used by surgeons to replace the volume of the eye and facilitate greater movement of the prosthesis. These various types of implants include Bioceramic, Medpor, Acrylic Sphere, and Hydroxyapatite. Your surgeon will advise you as to which is the most suitable implant for your particular situation.

Porous implants allow for vascular ingrowth over a period of several months to a year creating a stable implant that does not migrate out of position. A number of years ago, it was common to place a peg into the central region of the porous implant to maximize movement to the prosthesis. Unfortunately, numerous complications became evident such as breakdown of the conjunctival tissue directly surrounding the pegged area. There also proved to be a significant increase in socket discomfort, discharge and infections. On occasion, the prosthesis would actually rotate out of position and an audible "clicking" sound could be heard due to the extreme motility of the prosthesis. Currently in our region, we estimate that less than 0.5% of patients and surgeons are opting for the pegging portion of the procedure. Most patients are very satisfied with the movement of the artificial eye created by the porous implant alone.