Pioneering 3D printing for people living with eye loss
Our solution is a turning point for patients and clinicians in need of superior service and product in ocular prosthetics that are realistic, natural and comfortable. What makes us different is that we use a non-invasive method using imaging software, rather than using the traditional method of using a mould.
By harnessing new technology, aesthetics are improved and it brings the manufacturing time of your prosthetic down dramatically by weeks so your ocularist will have more time to spend with you. This innovation is in partnership with clinicians and patients, to offer a prosthetic that empowers and enhances the lives of everyone we work with. Learn more about ocular prosthetics below.
Click 2 Print (or C2P) ocular prosthetics bio-mimic your fellow eye, recreating the shape of your iris in the prosthetic. Light is reflected in and out of the prosthetic similar to your fellow eye, giving a very realistic appearance. Colour reproduction of the fellow eye is processed digitally to obtain a consistent colour accuracy.
The initial scan of your eye socket and fellow eye takes about 30 minutes. C2P ocular prosthetics are printed in batches on a 3D printer. Up to 41 patients can be printed in one batch. Each batch can take up to three hours to print, printing three slightly different shaped prosthetics to suit each patient. After printing, the prosthetics need to be post processed ready for fitting. Turnaround times depend on batch frequency and agreed delivery schedules with your ocularist.
Patients must be able to present to an AS-OCT machine to collect the unique patient data to design the C2P prosthesis. Most patients are suitable for the C2P process. Patients with nystagmus (twitch) or strabismus (squint) or damage to the iris are not suitable for C2P. It takes three seconds to image the eye or socket, and the patient and patient’s eye must remain still for that period of examination time.
In England the C2P prosthesis is currently supplied via the Moorfields Eye hospital ocular prosthetics department. This service is provided to NHS patients. For non-NHS patients wishing to receive a private fitting service please contact us for further details.
The bespoke design of C2P prosthetics incorporates many different socket shapes. A database of eye shapes has been used to train the software that helps to design the output shape.
Outlier shapes that are seldom seen are excluded from the training set. These outlier shapes are better managed on an individual basis. A combination of moulding technique and scan of the fellow eye can be adopted in complex socket cases to provide both shape complexity and colour accuracy.
There are many cosmetic aspects relating to the design and function of an ocular prosthesis. Lid positions, both upper and lower resulting from surgery, treatment or trauma cannot always be corrected with an ocular prosthesis. It is important to understand that a C2P prosthesis will have the same limitations as a handmade prosthesis whilst achieving ideal overall facial appearance. Please speak to your ocularist for further information and consultation.
Yes! The Vero resin material has been tested to an ISO 10993 standard and is suitable for long term use in contact with mucosal membrane. We have patients who have been wearing C2P prosthetics for over 12 months with no reported adverse events. Some patients are more sensitive to living with an ocular prosthesis than others and may suffer from irritation. Please consult with your ocularist for after treatment options that may aid comfort.
Click2Print artificial eye clinical investigation was conducted in the clinical research facility at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. The purpose of the trial was to prove if C2P artificial eyes are non-inferior to hand made acrylic prosthetics.
The trial recruited 40 patients who had experience of wearing an artificial eye for more than 12 months. Participants were recruited based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Participants had a C2P prosthetic designed and manufactured, and final fitting and adjustment was performed by the Chief Ocularist.
Participants were then randomised and allocated a prosthetic to wear for four months. Participants then switched to a comparator prosthetic, which they wore for another four months. Examinations for motility and cosmesis were compared between the two prosthetic types. Full results were published in December 2023.
Click2Print AE is a digital end to end design and manufacturing process for ocular prostheses.
C2P is a three-stage process.
1 – Click – The first stage of the design of the ocular prosthesis involves capturing the unique patient data required to design a bespoke prosthesis.
Following an initial consultation with your ocularist and fitment of a custom conformer, the patient is required to present to a medical device via a chin rest and head support. The device is an anterior segment OCT that measures the front of the eye. A scan of the eye socket is captured with the custom conformer in situ which takes three seconds. The custom conformer is removed then next a colour calibrated image and scan of the fellow eye is captured. This takes three seconds. A dataset is then ready for processing.
2 – The second stage is the design of the ocular prosthesis. The unique patient dataset is processed through a software medical device called Cuttlefish::Eye. The software generates three bespoke prosthetics unique in colour and shape designed for you.
The colour of each prosthesis is identical however the shape varies slightly between each model. Your ocularist will fit each shape and select the best fit for fine tuning and supply. Alternatively, in complex socket shapes a combination of shape and fellow eye data can be combined to produce an output.
3 – Print – The final stage is that the machine code is sent in batches to a full colour polyjet 3D printer for production. Up to 41 patient datasets can be printed in one batch. Print time is about three hours per batch. After printing, the prosthetics go through a series of post processing steps and quality checks. A set of prosthetics is then dispatched to the dispensing clinic for fitting and final adjustment.
C2P Artificial Eyes is a series medical device production system that operates to ISO 13485 medical device standards.
Your C2P prosthesis can be cleaned with mild detergent same as a handmade prosthesis. Frequency of cleaning depends very much on the individual so should be based on a per user basis. Periodic cleaning is highly recommended to avoid possible irritation or infection as protein from tears will adhere to the surface of the prosthesis. Again, this is very much based on a per user basis. Please follow up with your ocularist for yearly check-ups.
Wearing a prosthesis is very much based on the user’s needs. Patients wearing an artificial eye can wear them 24 hours a day if necessary. Some patients remove them whilst sleeping; the user can decide. Some patients may like to wash and rinse their prosthesis whilst showering whilst some patients may be uncomfortable removing and replacing the prosthesis.
It is highly recommended to clean the prosthesis every 14 – 30 days as over a period of time a biofilm will cover the prosthesis. This biofilm helps the body get used to the prosthesis being worn in the socket. Each user will reach a stage of homeostasis which is like the sweet spot, a balance. Getting to know your balance point in wearing a prosthesis is only established on a per user basis. It may help if you keep a diary to record when you remove and clean your prosthesis to establish a regime that best suits you.
There are many after care products on the market that can be used with an ocular prosthesis. Dry eye is a common condition whilst wearing an ocular prosthetic. The plastic material (both handmade and C2P) repels water which is known as hydrophobic. The natural eye attracts water which is known as hydrophilic. As the prosthesis repels water/tears the prosthetic does not stay lubricated. The tears just roll off the surface instead of coating it. Tears then collect and can increase the frequency of mucus discharge.
Use of aftercare products can help reduce dry eye and you should choose a product that suits you. However, below is a selection of some products that can be used to assist your comfort whilst wearing a prosthesis. Please consult with your ocularist for alternative after care treatments.
The C2P ocular prosthetic is manufactured purely from 3D acrylic, similar to a handmade ocular prosthetic, and unfortunately will not restore any vision.
