Removal of the eye, or enucleation, may be necessary in cases of severe trauma, blind and painful eyes or, less often, cancer of the eye. The eye is removed under general anesthesia and most often an orbital implant is placed. This implant helps restore orbital volume. If an implant cannot be placed, it is possible to harvest a graft from the patient’s own body and use this to fill the orbit (dermis fat graft). Six to eight weeks after surgery, a patient can visit an ocularist and have a prosthesis made. Occasionally, the entire eye does not have to be removed and only the inner contents are surgically removed. This is called an evisceration. In extreme care, the eye and all of the surrounding structures have to be removed, and this is called an exenteration. It is reserved most commonly for certain primary ortbital tumors, orbital infections and metastatic orbital disease.There are different indications for each particular procedure, but both enucleation and eviscerastion lead to a good cosmetic result and the ability to wear prosthesis. Enucleations and eviscerations are done as same-day surgery.
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An enucleation or evisceration is often covered by insurance. Call 203-791-2020 to schedule your evaluation with Katherine J. Zamecki-Vedder, MD, FACS.
Information is educational and does not replace an individual evaluation. Discuss treatment options, limitations, preparation, and recovery with your clinician.