Purpose: To show that if fitted and handled properly, iris painted contact lenses can be good cosmetic prostheses for disfigured or blind eyes for which no evisceration or enucleation is indicated.
Methods: Twenty patients with an opaque cornea were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent detailed ophthalmologic examinations, including corneal topography and keratometry. The close-up photographs of healthy eyes of the subjects were taken by a camera with a mounted macro lens under daylight. Twenty custom hand-painted contact lenses (Net Lens, Istanbul, Turkey) were selected from the catalog, made according to the photographs, and applied to the patients. Fitting and centration were examined by slitlamp biomicroscopy.
Results: Because of troubles in fitting and centralization, contact lenses could not be applied in three of the patients. In the remaining 17 patients, the lenses were applied successfully. All eyes achieved the desired cosmetic and anatomic result.
Conclusions: Besides providing superior cosmesis to evisceration or enucleation, prosthetic contact lenses significantly improve the social relationships and well-being of patients. Fitting a prosthesis over a disfigured or an absolute (blind) eye could be a successful remedy for maintaining the integrity of the orbital anatomy, enhancing the cosmetic appearance, and accelerating the rehabilitation of patients with disfigured blind eyes.