A novel technique for CAD-CAM assisted digital ocular prosthesis.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Digital Dentistry

Background:

• Custom ocular prostheses are essential for patients with anophthalmia, improving aesthetics and psychological well-being.
• Traditional methods for ocular prosthesis fabrication can be time-consuming and may lack precision.
• Advancements in digital technology offer potential for more accurate and efficient prosthetic design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel digital workflow for the fabrication of custom ocular prostheses.
• To integrate computed tomography (CT) and 3D printing for enhanced prosthetic design and manufacturing.
• To achieve a more precise and personalized fit for ocular prostheses.

Main Methods:

• Segmentation of the healthy eye's outer region and the anophthalmic socket's tissue bed using CT data.
• Determination of iris position via optical nerve tracing and facial scan superimposition.
• Generation of a standard tessellation language (STL) file for 3D printing, with UV printing for the iris and conventional methods for scleral characterization and acrylic finishing.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of a digital model for a custom ocular prosthesis.
• Accurate replication of the ocular anatomy and socket contour.
• Production of a 3D-printed ocular prosthesis with a precisely positioned iris and detailed scleral features.

Conclusions:

• The described digital workflow offers a precise and efficient method for fabricating custom ocular prostheses.
• Integration of CT, digital modeling, and 3D printing significantly improves prosthetic eye customization.
• This technique holds promise for enhancing patient outcomes in ocular prosthetics.