[Faline]

Enucleation is removal of the eye, leaving the eye muscles and remaining orbital contents intact. This type of ocular surgery is indicated for a number of different ocular tumors, in eyes that have suffered severe trauma, and in eyes that are blind and painful owing to other disease.

Auto-enucleation (oedipism) and other forms of serious self inflicted eye injury are an extremely rare form of severe self-harm which usually results from serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. The name comes from Oedipus, who gouged out his eyes in penance after having sex with his mother and killing his father. Some patients have apparently been inspired by the Gospel of Matthew, which states: “…if the right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee” (5:29).

There are three types of eye removal:

Evisceration - removal of the internal eye contents, but the sclera is left behind with the extraocular muscles still attached.
Enucleation - removal of the eyeball, but the adjacent structures of the eye socket and eyelids remain. An intraocular tumor excision requires an enucleation, not an evisceration.
Exenteration - removal of the contents of the eye socket (orbit) including the eyeball, fat, muscles and other adjacent structures of the eye. The eyelids may also be removed in cases of cutaneous cancers and unrelenting infection. Exenteration is sometimes done together with Maxillectomy which is removal of the maxilla or the upper jaw bone/cheekbone.

Reasons for removal:

Cancer of the eye (retinoblastoma, melanomas, any other cancers of the eye or orbit)
Severe injury of the eye when the eye cannot be saved or attempts to save the eye have failed
End stage glaucoma
Painful, blind eye
In cases of sympathetic ophthalmia (inflammation of the eye) to prevent travel to other eye, in which, if untreated can cause blindness
Congenital cystic eye
In a deceased person, so the cornea can be used for a living person who needs a corneal transplant by a surgical operation called keratoplasty.
Constant infection in a blind, or otherwise useless eye.
Removal of the eye by enucleation or evisceration can relieve pain and minimize further risk to life and well-being of an individual with the above noted conditions. In addition, procedures to remove the eye should address the resultant appearance of the orbit. Orbital implants and ocular prostheses are used by the surgeon to restore a more natural appearance.

An orbital implant is placed after removal of the eye to restore volume to the eye socket and enhance movement or motility of an ocular prosthesis and eyelids. The eyeball is a slightly elongated sphere with a diameter of approximately 24 millimetres. To avoid a sunken appearance to the eye socket, an implant approximating this volume can be placed into the space of the removed eye, secured, and covered with Tenon’s capsule and conjunctiva (the mucous membrane covering the natural sclera). Implants can be made of many materials with the most common being plastic, hydroxylapatite, metal alloy or glass.

Later, once the conjunctiva have healed and post-operative swelling has subsided, an ocular prosthesis can be placed to provide the appearance of a natural eye. The prosthesis is fabricated by an ocularist. Its form is that of a cupped disc so that it can fit comfortably in the pocket behind the eyelids overlying the conjunctiva that covers the orbital implant. The external portion of the ocular prosthesis is painted and finished to mimic a natural eye color, shape and luster. It can be removed and cleaned periodically by the individual or a care giver.

The two part system of orbital implant and ocular prosthesis provides a stable, and well tolerated aesthetic restoration of the eye socket. Although vision is not restored by removal of the eye with placement of an orbital implant and ocular prosthesis, a natural appearance can result. The implant can be moved by intact extraocular muscles that will track or move simultaneously with the other eye. The visible ocular prosthesis can couple with the orbital implant and thus move simultaneously with the other eye. The eyelids can move and blink over the prosthesis as well.

[Ntwadumela]

This is almost as painful to watch as surgery on testicles. The four spherical objects I take for granted are way too sensitive.

[Spiffyfable]

Well Done

[Neo1130]

Finger poking the hole in the last one is almost sexy.

[Karma]

I think if I were unfortunate enough to lose an eye I would rather just have the hole there and not a replacement prosthesis. It would be much more fun scaring people or freaking people out than it would having a fake eye that you can't see out of anyway.
Seriously though, it must be awful to lose an eye or eyes. Being born blind you don't know any different, but to lose sight must be worse in some ways.

[mintycbo]

Eyes and teeth....only two things I fear ... teeth because they hurt like hell if damaged/injured...I have tattoos,piercings, and a LARGE branding more that of a third degree burn scar...I'll take being beaten,stabbed, burned etc over a bad toothache anyday...
And as for eyes? CANNOT stand anything pointy aimed at my eyes..I cringe..sometimes feel physically ill from it. had this fear/phobia ever since I was a child of walking through a store and the peg boards they use to hang merchandise up with..always had a fear of falling on them eye first...maybe both eyes..hook for each.. (my family liked to shop a lot when I was a kid..) god...everytime I enter a store like a dollar or hardware store ..fml.

[HeadlessHorseman]

I always pay close attention to those peg board hooks in stores also. I can picture bending down to get something and driving one right into my eye.

[Pyramid_Head]

I would show this to my mother, but I think she would pass out.

[butterfly]

Nice one Kelly . You know I had to save it

[Faline]

Originally Posted by butterfly ↗

Nice one Kelly . You know I had to save it