Home → VA Prosthetics → VA Handbook 1173.11 - Ocular Prostheses and Facial Restorations → Definitions
11.3. Definitions
a. Anaplastologist. An anaplastologist is one who restores injured, deformed, or missing anatomical human parts.
b. Anophthalmic. Anophthalmic is the absence of the eyeball.
c. Auricular Prosthesis. Auricular prosthesis relates to the artificial replacement of the hearing organs.
d. Bulbar. Refers to or related to the eyeball.
e. Ocular Conformer. An ocular conformer is an intricate and complex, acrylic thin prosthesis designed to fit over a physical eye, evisceration or enunciation with or without a cornea to facilitate post operative healing of the eye socket to the specific shape of the conformer.
f. Cosmetic Scleral Shell. A cosmetic scleral shell is the intricate and complex acrylic thin eye prosthesis designed to fit over a physical eye or evisceration with or without a cornea. It replaces volume and reduces possible infections of the eye socket.
g. Enucleation. Enucleation is the complete surgical removal of the eyeball.
h. Evisceration. Evisceration is the surgical removal of the contents of the eyeball with retention of the sclera or cornea and sclera.
i. Exenteration. Exenteration is the surgical removal of all the orbital contents which may include the removal of the eyelids.
j. Eye (orbital) Implant. An eye implant is a device used as volume replacement of the eye.
k. Facial Prosthesis. A facial prosthesis is a custom-fabricated and fitted prosthesis made of medical grade silicone or acrylic that replaces the anatomical structures of the face and which integrates function and replaces the patient's natural appearance.
l. Implant. An implant is a custom fitted prosthesis made of medical grade silicone, acrylic, or metal used as volume replacement and insert for areas of the body.
m. Impressions. An impression is the duplication of a defected area of the body by use of alginate (seaweed) or silicone base materials. It gives the provider a negative mold, which is used to create a positive cast. The positive cast is modified to form the final prosthesis.
n. Maxillofacial Prosthesis. A maxilloficial prosthesis is the replacement of anatomical structures of the face and oral cavity, which integrates function and replaces the natural appearance. It is custom-fitted and normally fabricated with silicone.
o. Ocularist. An ocularist is one who fits and fabricates custom ocular prostheses.
p. Ocular Prosthesis. An ocular prosthesis is a plastic or glass fabricated eye that replaces the volume of the enucleated eye socket and gives the appearance of the natural eye.
(1) Left Eye Prosthesis. Ocular Sinister (left eye).
(2) Right Prosthesis. Ocular Dexter (right eye).
q. Orbital Prosthesis. An orbital prosthesis is an artificial silicone replacement of the facial bony cavity that contains the eye and its associated parts, e.g., eyelid, eyebrow, etc.
r. Orthotic Laboratory Work Order (OWL). OWL is a document to be created to obtain the fabrication or repair of facial, ophthalmic or other restoration clinic prosthesis when the labor time is greater than eight minutes.
s. Phthisical. Phthisical means wasted away, as a shrunken eyeball.
t. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). PMMA is the plastic used in the manufacture of artificial eyes, contact lenses, implants, inserts, etc.
u. Silicone. Silicone or Polydimethylsiloxane is a rubber material used for the fabrication of facial prostheses, hands, and feet.
v. Somato Prosthesis. Somato prosthesis is a body restoration, as a breast, cosmetic gloves for partial hand, finger or foot amputations, prostheses, etc,