Rehabilitating the Appearance of a Blind Eye

Ask an Eye M.D. Answer Archive

Question:
I am blind out of my left eye due to retinal detachment and cataract. Can I have my eye reopened and fixed to look like a normal eye even though I am blind?        

Answer:
Yes. There are many techniques that can be used to rehabilitate a blind eye. These include wearing a custom made scleral shell or undergoing a procedure to mobilize the conjunctiva to enable comfortable wear of a shell. In situations where the blind eye is painful or very disfigured, a person may wish to undergo removal of the eye (evisceration or enucleation) and then wear a scleral shell. These shells are custom made to match your normal eye.

If the eyelid is droopy and the eye is normal in appearance, ptosis surgery may be able to lift the lid.

Answered by: Rona Silkiss, MD 

Categories: Eye Surgery, Cataracts

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