How To Care for Your Prosthetic Eye

In this video, we’ll show how to take out your prosthetic eye, clean it, and put it back in your eye socket. You can do these things yourself, or your caregiver can do them for you.

Some people use their fingers to take out and put in their prosthetic eye. Others use a special suction cup. We’ll show how to do both.

When you’re ready to start, place your supplies on a clean, flat surface near a sink, such as in your bathroom. You’ll need mild soap or baby shampoo, paper towels, a washcloth, and a suction cup, if you’re using one. You’ll also need a mirror to check that your eye is in the right position.

Once you have your supplies, clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. If you’re using soap and water, wet your hands and apply soap. Rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, then rinse. Dry your hands with a paper towel and use that same paper towel to turn off the faucet. 

If you’re using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, cover all parts of your hands with it, then rub them together until they’re dry. 

How to take out your prosthetic eye.

If you’re using your fingers, gently pull your lower eyelid down so you can see the bottom of your prosthetic eye.

Using your other hand, gently lift your prosthetic eye out of your eye socket. If you’re using a suction cup, wash it with mild soap or baby shampoo and water.

Make sure the tip is wet. This will help it have better suction. Squeeze the handle and place the suction cup in the middle of your prosthetic eye.

Release the squeeze to let the suction cup attach to your eye. Using your finger on your other hand, gently pull your lower eyelid down. Lift the handle of the suction cup upward and outward to take out your eye.

Squeeze the suction cup to take your eye off and set it on a paper towel. Wash the suction cup with mild soap or baby shampoo and water.

How to clean your prosthetic eye.

To clean your prosthetic eye, rinse it with water. Then, place some mild soap or baby shampoo in your hand and wash all sides of your prosthetic eye. Make sure to rinse off all the soap.

Set your eye on top of a clean paper towel. Let it air dry for about a minute.

How to clean your eye socket.

You may have some drainage or discharge coming from your eye socket once you take out your prosthetic eye.

To clean it, wet a washcloth with warm water. Wipe from the inner corner of your eye socket to the outer corner until the area around your eye is clean.

How to place your prosthetic eye in your eye socket.

First, find the top of your prosthetic eye. Most have a marking to show where the top and bottom are.

If yours doesn’t, look for a dent on your prosthetic eye. There are 2 dents, one at the top of the eye and one on the side. Use this to help guide your placement.

If you’re using your fingers to place your prosthetic eye in your eye socket, gently lift your upper eyelid with your fingers.

Place the top of your prosthetic eye under your eyelid. Then, slowly place the bottom into your eye socket. Pull your lower eyelid down and over your prosthetic eye.

If you’re using a suction cup, wet the tip with water. Squeeze the handle and place it on the middle of your prosthetic eye. Release the squeeze to let the suction cup attach.

Using your other hand, gently lift your upper eyelid with your fingers.

Place the top of your prosthetic eye under your eyelid. Pull your lower eyelid down and over your eye. Gently pull the suction cup off and wash it with mild soap or baby shampoo and water.

Once your prosthetic eye is in your eye socket, close your eyes to make sure it’s comfortable and look in a mirror to check it’s in the right position.

If you have any questions, contact your healthcare provider’s office. To learn more, visit www.msk.org/pe and search “prosthetic eye.”