Enlargement of the Eye Socket Early after Birth with an Ocular Prosthesis for Clinical Congenital Anophthalmia

Abstract

Clinical congenital anophthalmia causes facial asymmetry and difficulty in wearing ocular prostheses due to underdevelopment of the orbits. Orbital expansion must be started early after birth for treatment, but consensus regarding the treatment for clinical congenital anophthalmia has not been established. We report a successful orbital expansion using a thermoplastic splint. A one-month-old boy had left clinical congenital anophthalmia (ophthalmatrophia), right congenital glaucoma, and right anterior segment ocular dysgenesis. Two months after birth, left orbital expansion was initiated using a custom-made thermoplastic splint. The splint was replaced with larger ones in steps as the infant grew, and the orbit was successfully expanded. There is no appreciable size difference between the left and right orbit after 5 years of follow up. Treatment using a splint for the conjunctival sac is a simple and effective procedure that can be performed on an outpatient basis. Safer and simpler material should be widely used for the treatment.