Significant differences exist between custom-made and stock ready-made artificial eyes.
Custom-made artificial eyes (ocular prostheses) are recommended by Ocular Plastic
Surgeons and Ocularist because the individual characteristics and physical requirements of the wearer are
taken into consideration.
Custom-made artificial eyes generally provide greater comfort, better eye movement and a
superior natural looking result.
Stock artificial eyes, as the name implies, are ready-made and are fit by a trial and
error method. Most of these glass or plastic stock eyes are mass-produced in a variety of
standard sizes, shapes and iris colors.
The fitter of stock artificial eyes must try several different
shapes and sizes into the socket in an effort to find one that appears to fit and look
like the companion eye.
However, common sense would dictate, that without taking an impression of the socket, there is no
assurance that the prefabricated shape selected is the proper shape for the individual socket.
Stock artificial eyes when offered, are often not any less expensive than custom eyes,
but are usually far less satisfactory in terms of fit, comfort and personal iris color matching.
