Artificial eye, also called a prosthetic eye, is worn by a person who has lost an eye to disease or injury. In removing the eye, a surgeon cuts the optic nerve and the muscles that hold and move the eyeball. The surgeon then places a plastic, metal, or ceramic ball into the cavity and sews the muscles and the surrounding conjunctival tissue together in front of the ball. The artificial eye that is visible from the outside consists of a curved shell of lightweight plastic or glass painted to match the normal eye. It fits between the eyelids and the conjunctival tissue covering the ball. The eye muscles can move the ball and shell just like the normal eye.
An artificial eye requires little care. In most cases, people cannot easily distinguish the artificial eye from a normal eye by appearance. The wearer, however, cannot see with it. Scientists are working to develop genuine artificial eyes that provide the wearer with vision.
