Ocularist

What is an ocularist?

An ocularist is an eye care specialist who provides care for people needing prosthetic eyes due to injury, infection or congenital disease (present at birth). Losing or damaging an eye can be a traumatic experience, and the need for a prosthetic can be overwhelming. Ocularists offer long-term care. They collaborate with your healthcare team to create or restore a more natural facial appearance with the goal of enhancing your health-related quality of life.

What do ocularists do?

Ocularists are specially trained technicians. They’re a part of your healthcare team if you need a prosthetic eye after partial (evisceration) or total (enucleation) removal of your eye. They can also assist after surgeries for conditions like microphthalmia or anophthalmia, which involve having underdeveloped or absent eye development, respectively.

Ocularists work closely with other eye specialists, like ophthalmologists, who perform eye surgery, and oculoplastic surgeons. After removal of your eye, you typically wait at least six weeks to allow for healing prior to receiving a prosthetic.

Getting a prosthetic eye involves several steps and ongoing care for many years, including:

• Fitting. Ocularists take measurements of your eye socket to provide examples of prosthetic eyes and help design one that fits you perfectly.
• Fabricating. This includes the physical process of making the eye. Some ocularists specialize in using different materials, ranging from acrylic to silicone to cryolite glass.
• Appearance. One of the most important parts of the ocularist’s job is making prosthetic eyes look as natural as possible. This includes carefully painting the artificial eye so it matches the color of your other eye.
• Cleaning and maintaining. Ocularists teach you how to insert, remove and care for your prosthetic eye. Regular cleaning is important to maximize implant lifespan and prevent infections. You should see an ocularist at least once a year (more often for children) to check the fit, clean the eye and ensure the surrounding tissues remain healthy.

How many ocularists are there in the United States?

The American Society of Ocularists’ national directory lists 165 members in the United States, out of a total of 287 worldwide. The National Examining Board of Ocularists (NEBO), a U.S.- and Canada-based organization, oversees and maintains a list of 165 Board Certified Ocularists (BCOs) worldwide.

Can ocularists prescribe medication?

No, ocularists aren’t doctors and can’t prescribe medications. But they can refer you to eye specialists, like ophthalmologists, who can.

Who cleans prosthetic eyes?

Ocularists can clean prosthetic eyes, but other eye care specialists may also offer this service. Your eye care specialist, like an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or optician on an eye specialist’s staff, can tell you if they can provide this service or refer you to someone who does.

What does it take to become an ocularist?

To become an ocularist in the United States or Canada, you need to complete an apprenticeship recognized by the American Society of Ocularists. You must have a high school diploma to begin. Then, you’ll complete an internship, which can follow one of two paths:

• Supervised. You’ll train under a board-certified ocularist (BADO) for at least 10,000 hours (about five years) and complete 750 credits of coursework. You’ll also need to pass exams and attend two meetings of the American Society of Ocularists.
• Unsupervised. If you follow this path, you’ll need to complete 16,000 hours of training (about eight years) and 750 credits of coursework through the College of Ocularistry. You’ll also need to pass exams and attend two society meetings.

Training to become an ocularist is a combination of science and art. You’ll study subjects like biology, anatomy, psychology, materials science, optics and dermatology. You’ll also learn artistic skills like painting, sculpture and photography. You’ll develop effective communication skills as well.

To become a board-certified ocularist (BCO), you’ll also need to take the NEBO exam. To maintain your certification, you’ll need to earn 200 course credits every four years.