Artificial Eye Technology

Artificial Eye technology is a visual prosthetic system. It is used for replacing dead or damaged eyes. This technology uses a camera that interacts with the brain to simulate the optic nerve. This is a cosmetic process to enhance the appearance of a person with eyes that have been removed. It is not really an eye but it serves as a cover to the eye socket. The artificial eye is also called a fake eye or glass eye. 

Need For Artificial Eye Technology

This technology was created to restore the vision of the visually impaired. Many of the people are affected by visual problems that lead to eye damages or loss of vision. The visual problems may include enucleation, blind/painful eye, ocular melanoma, diabetic retinopathy, trauma, ruptured globe, penetrating eye injury, perforating eye injury, cataract, etc. This technology was needed to provide them with a way to still see the world. 

History

The first user of the visual prosthetic was a woman based in Iran back in 2900 and 2800 B.C. It was made of a light material that is believed to be bitumen paste. It was only one inch in diameter. Its surface made use of the Gold and also had thin strands of gold thread that were used to attach the prosthetic to the woman’s eye socket. It is also believed that Roman and Egyptian priests used such eye prosthetics as early as 5th century B.C. Before World War II, ocular prosthetics were made using a special blown glass that formed a concave shape. During the war, this glass was very difficult to find. As a result, plastics and acrylics were used. In comparison to glass, acrylic eyes were more durable, more comfortable, and needed lesser replacements due to lesser breakage. 

Manufacturing process

The time needed to manufacture an artificial eye is about 3.5 hours. There are two types of prosthetics : 

1. Very thin shell type.
2. Full modified impression type.

The shell type of the prosthetic system is fitted over the blind, disfigured, or partially removed eye. The fully modified version is specially made for people whose eyes have been removed completely due to defects or the eye being dead or potentially harmful.