Primary ocular prosthesis in patients undergoing evisceration, enucleation and socket reconstruction in north central Nigeria: A multi-center study

Background: Facial disfigurement especially of the eye can cause a lot of psychological impact on one's life. After evisceration or enucleation, primary ocular prosthesis (POP) not only provides immediate cosmetic rehabilitation, but also helps the individual regain self-confidence to resume normal life. The aim of this study was to assess the surgical outcome of evisceration and enucleation with POP in patients with endophthalmitis/panophthalmitis and allied conditions. Materials and Methods: This was a multi-center prospective study by the authors at three centers in Makurdi of patients undergoing destructive and socket reconstructive eye surgeries who had ocular prosthesis (OP [artificial eye]) inserted as a primary procedure from January 2010 to June 2014. Results: Eighteen patients had OP fitted at the operating table. There were 13 males (72%) and 5 females, with male to female ratio of 2.6:1. The median age was 45.5 years. Half of the patients 9 (50%) were farmers. Indications for surgery were infection 10 (55.6%), corneal degeneration 4 (22.2%) and one each had trauma, tumor, anophthalmos and shallow socket. Fifteen (83.3%) patients had evisceration. There were no postoperative infections during the follow-up period. There was small degree of enophthalmos in 16 (88.9%) and slight color mismatch in17 (94.4%). The OP movement with the fellow eye was fair in all the patients. Conclusion: Insertion of POP did not cause progression of infection in patients undergoing evisceration or enucleation. Where resources are not available for an orbital implant before prosthesis, POP can be fitted without the fear of progress of infection.