We are always keen to get out to the hospitals and talk to the staff about patient concerns. One of the clinic nurses recently told us that some people choose not to have an artificial eye fitted. She said that even though the hospital would cover the costs people still say, “no I will pass on that thanks.”
We told her that we have also encountered people with mixed feelings about artificial eyes. One particular woman always comes to mind. She told us that she thought it was silly for a woman her age to worry about vanity. She also admitted that she’d never seen a good looking artificial eye – only odd staring eyes that looked terrible.
We explained to her that if an eye is fitted correctly you wouldn’t notice someone had one. The sad truth is you only notice the bad ones. It may not even be that the eye was made by an inexperienced person. It could be that the eye is long over due for an adjustment.
People forget that the eye socket is constantly changing. It is important to get the eye polished and assessed so that minor corrections can be made.
It took us a while, but we finally coaxed the woman into giving it a try. She was astounded at how natural the result was. After a few minutes of taking out the eye and putting it in she seemed at ease with her new eye.
We believe that when people don’t want an artificial eye it is because they have major concerns about the process and the quality of the outcome. It can also be related to fear of the unknown when they are already dealing with so much adjustment.
It is important that people understand that getting an artificial eye is not a painful experience. In fact it can be a beneficial part of the adjustment process. We are able to talk through many concerns about the effect of eye loss. Generally people feel reassured and more confident with the information we can provide.
So if you are someone who has chosen not to get an artificial eye we would encourage you to come in for a chat.
