Eye info

So, yesterday we went to the ocularist, who makes ocular prosthetics. I love saying medical stuff. Rolls off the tongue.

I brought a stash of toys- didn't know how long we'd be there or how kid-friendly the office would be. Since I took that precaution, they had a toy box there and we got in very quickly.

So R2 sat in the chair and Dr. Turntine looked inside his itty-bitty eye and asked us a few questions... and it looks like we're going to go for it! Here's the process... I don't know about you, but it's interesting to moi.

They begin by knocking him out via anesthetic and making an impression of the damaged eye-globe. This is done by putting some kind of clay-like substance in the socket and having it form a perfect impression of his eye. They will then use this mold for the shell.

Second, we'll get a clear "conformer". This is like a thick contact lens, shaped to fit over his damaged eyeball and begin the process of stretching his eyelid and getting everything ready. We'll go through a series of conformers before it's determined that his eye is ready for the scleral shell.

None of this is painful... he said there's a little bit of pressure and weird feeling-ness the first 24-48 hours, but after that he shouldn't notice it.

Once the stretching is done (6-12 weeks) then the eye should be ready. The scleral shell is the same basic material as the conformer, but painted to look exactly like R2's good eye. It used to be that they had to be taken out overnight and cleaned, like contacts, but that's not necessary anymore... once the shell is in, it stays in until it needs to be refitted or something.

It's interesting, even having had the new glasses for a week or two now, it seems like kids are friendlier to him... they still think he's weird... but not scary. I can't think but that's got to feel better to him. Maybe someday he'll let us know.