OCuSOFT® PROSTHETIC WEARERS GUIDE
OCuSOFT® products were originally designed with the contact lens and ocular prosthesis wearer in mind. However, anyone with sensitive eyes who is prone to eye irritations or allergies may benefit from the use of OCuSOFT® Products.In order to maintain optimum comfort and cosmesis while wearing your prosthesis, your ocularist may recommend a combination of OCuSOFT® products (see reverse).
CARING FOR YOUR PROSTHESIS
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A routine hygiene regimen is usually very beneficial to the wearer of an ocular prosthesis as it can remove normal secretions from the socket which can often accumulate on the eyelid margin and surface of the prosthesis. The following regimen might be suggested:
Upon arising in the morning, apply a warm compress over your lids and prosthesis to soften and dissolve any crustacean. Close the eye and gently scrub the eyelid and eyelashes with OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub™ using side-to-side strokes. Using a clean applicator, gently wipe the surface of the prosthesis with a temporal (ear) to nasal (nose) motion. Thoroughly irrigate using OCuSOFT® Irrigating Solution making sure that OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub™ is rinsed away. This procedure may be repeated as needed during the day.
Your ocularist should advise you of your individual needs for the care of your prosthesis and can suggest the best regimen suited for you. Neither of these products, nor any other, should be used without the expressed consent of either your doctor or ocularist.
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REMOVAL OF YOUR PROSTHESIS
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It is generally accepted that your prosthesis should be worn without the interruption and that removal should only be performed if irritation of the socket persists after performing your routine hygiene regimen. YOUR OCULARIST MUST BE CONSULTED REGARDING YOUR INDIVIDUAL SCHEDULE FOR THE REMOVAL OF YOUR PROSTHESIS. In the event that your prosthesis is to be removed, the following instructions may be of help:
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Wash hands thoroughly using OCuSOFT® Hand Soap and rinse with warm water.
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If removal is to be done over a basin, place a towel over the surface in case the prosthesis is accidentally dropped.
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Moisten the tip the your suction cup provided to you by your ocularist. Using your left hand, lift the upper eyelid with the index finger in order to expose the iris portion of your prosthesis. Gently press the suction cup tip against the iris portion of your prosthesis until it is securely affixed. Release the upper eyelid.
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Using the left hand, pull down and gently press on the lower eyelid margin. Lift the prosthesis up and out over the lower eyelid. Release the lower lid and place your right hand palm up below the eye socket in the event that the prosthesis falls from the suction tip. With a final down and forward motion, free the prosthesis from the upper lid.
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INSPECTION OF YOUR PROSTHESIS
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In the event that your prosthesis has been removed or is being prepared for insertion, it is recommended that you inspect it for any irregularities. The following instruction might aid you in doing so:
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Thoroughly wash your hands and prosthesis with OCuSOFT® Hand Soap and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
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Dry your hands and prosthesis with a soft lint-free towel being careful not to scratch the delicate surface of your prosthesis.
With adequate lighting, hold your prosthesis securely between your fingers and inspect the surface for scratches, nicks, or dried secretion. Any irregularities should be immediately reported to your ocularist.
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INSERTION OF YOUR PROSTHESIS
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Be absolutely sure that your hands are protected against bacteria and that your prosthesis is clean by scrubbing each with OCuSOFT® Hand Soap and rinsing thoroughly.
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Using your left hand, place your fingers on your eye lashes and lift the upper eyelid.
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Slide the upper edge of the prosthesis under the upper eyelid as far as it will possibly go. Release the upper eyelid. With your left hand, pull down the bottom eyelid and place the bottom part of the prosthesis behind the bottom eyelid.
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With your prosthesis in place, close your eye and palpate your lids in a temporal to nasal direction. This will expel any air that may have been trapped behind the prosthesis during insertion.
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Using a mirror, verify that the position and gaze of your prosthesis is correct.
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FOLLOW-UP CARE
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Your ocularist will advise you of your individual need for, and the frequency of, follow-up visits. Since your prosthesis is made of a very fine porous material, it can absorb fluids from your socket. These fluids may cause the surface of the prosthesis to deteriorate and could create discomfort leading to infection. It will eventually be required that your prosthesis be replaced due to this decomposition; however, routine “glazing” each six months of the prosthetic surface will significantly prolong its life and ensure continuous comfort.
Follow-up visits are also important for having the fit of your prosthesis evaluated as periodic changes in the shape and contour of your prosthesis may be needed. Prosthetic replacement is generally required each five to eight years. However, children wearing a prosthesis may experience growth patterns that cause significant changes in their socket shape and volume and more frequent replacement may be required.
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WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES AT ALL TIMES
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Some people suffer from eye disease or injury to one of their eyes. These people can still lead happy, normal and functional lives, but the threat of vision loss in the other eye is constantly present. Consider that someone with only one eye is at eight times greater risk of losing their only good eye than someone with two eyes is of losing one. Injuries can occur at anytime and are impossible to predict (i.e. ricocheting BB pellet, shattered glass, wire spit up from a lawn mower, or the corner of an open kitchen cabinet).
We strongly believe that anyone who has significant visual loss in one eye should wear safety glasses at all times.
Safety lenses deflect projectiles without shattering. In the past, glass and plastic safety lenses were made thicker than standard lenses. Now the space-age plastic material called polycarbonate is the most impact resistant and lightest material in today’s lensmarket. It is so strong that it does not have to be thicker to meet the highest impact resistance standards. Safety frames and sport frames made of non-shattering materials have an additional design feature that inhibits the lens from being pushed through the frame upon impact. Safety eyewear can be made in stylish frames that do not look institutional.
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Hopefully some of these products and techniques will help maintain your comfort and cosmesis. Your doctor and your ocularist know what is best for you so consult them in regards to your use of OCuSOFT®products.
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OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub™ Family
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OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub™ effectively removes oil and debris from the eyelids. OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub™ Original Formula is recommended for routine daily eyelid hygiene, while OCuSOFT® Lid Scrub™ PLUS Formula is Extra Strength and recommended for moderate-severe eyelid conditions with bacterial involvement.
OCuSOFT® Cosmetics
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All OCuSOFT® brand cosmetic products are hyposensitive, hypoallergenic and contain no harsh thimerosal or mercurial preservative. OCuSOFT® cosmetics are water soluble, dye, and fragrance free for patients with sensitive eyes. OCuSOFT® Facial Skin Cleanser is a deep cleansing formula that gently and thoroughly cleanses and removes make-up from or around the eyes. OCuSOFT® Mascara is flake-proof and contains no lash building fibers which can be irritating to the eyes.
OCuSOFT® Hand Soap
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OCuSOFT® Hand Soap is an alcohol-free antimicrobial agent that is non-drying and non-irritating to the skin. OCuSOFT® Hand Soap does not contain oils or other lubricants which may leave a film on the hands and be transferred to the prosthesis. Available in three convenient sizes.
OCuSOFT® Irrigating Solution
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OCuSOFT® Irrigating Solution is used to irrigate or flush a foreign body from the eye. OCuSOFT® Irrigating Solution is an eye wash balanced to the proper pH of your tears. It is ideal to have a bottle of eye wash at home or on the road in case of an emergency. Available in two convenient sizes.
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