What a Prosthetic Eye Can and Cannot Do: Movement, Symmetry and Realistic Expectations

The first time most people look at their new prosthetic eye in a mirror, they do two things. They look straight ahead and feel relief, because from the front the match is often better than they feared. Then they glance hard to the left, and the new eye lags a beat behind. That small delay is where prosthetic eye movement expectations either settle into something workable or curdle into disappointment.

The gap between hope and reality here is rarely about craftsmanship. Ocularists, the professionals who make and fit artificial eyes, can paint an iris that fools a stranger across a dinner table. What they cannot do is rewire the physics of a socket that has lost its eyeball. Movement, lid height and the depth of the upper eyelid fold all depend on what the surgeon could preserve and how the tissues heal.

This explainer sets out, as plainly as the evidence allows, what a prosthesis can do, what it cannot, and how to tell the difference between a normal limitation and a problem worth a phone call.

How a prosthetic eye is made and fitted: what actually happens

A prosthetic eye is not a sphere. It is a curved shell, shaped a little like a thick contact lens with a rounded back, and it rests over tissue rather than filling the whole socket. Understanding that shape explains most of what follows.

When an eye is removed, the surgeon usually places an orbital implant, a small ball of acrylic or porous material, deep in the socket to replace lost volume. The eye muscles that once turned the eyeball are attached to or around this implant. The implant is then covered by the conjunctiva, the thin pink lining of the socket, so it is never seen. A temporary clear shell called a conformer holds the shape of the eyelids while everything heals.

Once swelling has settled, the ocularist takes an impression of the socket, much as a dentist takes a mold of teeth. From that impression a custom acrylic shell is shaped, fitted, and hand painted: iris color built up in layers, a matched pupil, tiny red fibers laid into the white to imitate blood vessels. Clinical references such as Cleveland Clinic describe this first fitting typically around 6–8 weeks after surgery, though the surgeon decides when the socket is ready.

The finished prosthesis slips behind the eyelids and sits against the conjunctiva that covers the implant. Nothing is glued or screwed in place. The lids hold it, the moist tissue behind it gives it a light grip, and that grip is the whole basis of movement. Whatever the implant does underneath, the shell follows, but only as far as friction and contact allow.

Keep that picture in mind: a painted shell riding on a moving cushion. Everything about prosthetic eye movement expectations flows from it.

Can a prosthetic eye move like a normal eye? Setting prosthetic eye movement expectations

Short answer: partly, and usually less than the natural eye, with the difference most obvious when you look far to one side or up.

The natural eye is turned by six muscles pulling directly on the eyeball. The prosthesis has no direct connection to any muscle. Instead, the muscles move the buried implant, the implant moves the conjunctiva over it, and the conjunctiva drags the shell along by contact. Each hand-off loses a little motion. In the central range of gaze, the range you use for conversation and reading, the loss can be small enough that people who do not know will not notice. At the extremes it becomes clear, because the shell reaches the limit of the tissue it rides on before the other eye has finished turning.

Several factors decide where an individual lands on that spectrum:

• How much of the muscle attachment the surgeon was able to preserve and connect to the implant.
• The type and size of implant, and how snugly the prosthesis fits against the tissue over it.
• Scarring in the socket, which can tether tissue and blunt motion.
• Whether the original eye was removed whole or only its contents (more on that below).

Surgeons have tried to close the gap. Motility pegs, small posts that pass through the conjunctiva to link a porous implant directly to the prosthesis, can improve movement but have been associated with exposure and infection problems, so they are far less common than they once were. Any decision about them belongs with the surgical team and depends on the individual socket.

The honest expectation is this: good straight-ahead alignment, useful but reduced movement in the middle range, and a visible lag at the edges of gaze. That is not a failed prosthesis. It is what the mechanism can deliver.

Why side-to-side movement is usually better than up and down

People often notice that their prosthesis tracks reasonably well when they glance across a room, yet barely lifts when they look up at a shelf. There are two reasons, and neither is anyone’s fault.

The first is anatomy. The horizontal muscles, which turn the eye left and right, are large and attach in a way that transmits force efficiently to a central implant. The vertical muscles are smaller and pull at angles, and their action is partly absorbed by the eyelids and the fat around the implant. So the implant itself moves less vertically than horizontally.

The second is the shell. When you look up, the upper eyelid rises with your gaze, and the prosthesis, which is held largely by lid pressure, loses some of the grip that would carry it along. When you look sideways, the lids stay put and the shell is squeezed against the moving tissue, so it follows more faithfully.

The everyday effect is that a prosthetic eye tends to look most natural in conversation, where most gaze shifts are horizontal and modest, and least natural when someone looks sharply upward or downward. Many wearers learn, without being taught, to turn their head slightly rather than their eyes for large vertical shifts. It is a small adaptation that happens on its own within months for most people, and it is not something you need to force.

The point for expectations: if your prosthesis tracks well horizontally but poorly vertically, that pattern is typical and does not usually indicate a fitting problem. If it moves well in no direction at all, or movement drops off suddenly after having been good, that is worth mentioning to the ocularist, because it may point to a fit that has loosened or a change in the socket.

Symmetry: what makes two eyes look matched, and what tends to drift

Symmetry is judged by other people in about a quarter of a second, and it is mostly not about the iris. It is about the eyelids, the depth of the fold above them, and whether both eyes appear to sit at the same depth in the face. A perfectly painted prosthesis behind a drooping lid still reads as uneven.

Four features carry most of the weight:

• Upper lid height. A lid that sits lower on the prosthetic side is called ptosis, a droop. It can result from the surgery, from a prosthesis that does not adequately support the lid, or simply from a shell that is slightly too small.
• Superior sulcus. This is the hollow between the eyelid and the brow. If the implant is smaller than the volume that was lost, that hollow deepens and the eye looks sunken. Ocularists can build up the prosthesis to compensate, but only so far before it becomes heavy and drags the lower lid.
• Lower lid position. Over years the lower lid can sag under the weight of the shell, letting the prosthesis sit lower and revealing more white beneath the iris.
• Depth. When the implant has settled or migrated, the whole eye can look set back, a change called enophthalmos.

Some of these are adjusted at the ocularist’s bench by reshaping or rebuilding the shell. Others, particularly volume loss and lid laxity, may call for a surgical revision, and that judgement sits with the surgeon after examining the socket.

The realistic goal is what surgeons sometimes describe as symmetry at conversational distance: two eyes that look like a pair to someone across a table, not a mirror image under a magnifying glass. Photographs taken straight on with even lighting will usually flatter the result; photographs taken from below or with a flash will usually not. Neither is the whole truth.

Who a prosthetic eye is usually for, and who is asked to wait

A prosthesis is offered after an eye has been removed or has shrunk and lost sight beyond recovery. The reasons vary widely. NHS guidance on eye cancer and retinoblastoma describes removal of the eye as one treatment option when a tumor cannot be safely controlled otherwise, with an artificial eye fitted afterwards. Severe injury that cannot be repaired, a blind and painful eye, and long-standing infection or inflammation that has destroyed the eye are other common routes.

Two surgical approaches lead to a prosthesis. Enucleation removes the entire eyeball. Evisceration removes the contents of the eye but leaves the outer white coat, the sclera, with its muscles still attached, and the implant is placed inside that shell. Evisceration often preserves more natural movement because the muscles never leave their original positions, but it is not appropriate when a tumor is suspected, since tissue must be removed completely. The choice depends on the diagnosis and is the surgeon’s to explain.

A third group never has surgery at all. Someone whose eye has shrunk but remains in place may wear a scleral shell, a thin prosthesis that fits over the existing eye like a large cosmetic lens. Because the eye underneath still moves, these shells often track very well.

Who is asked to wait? Anyone whose socket is still healing, still swollen, or still discharging. A prosthesis fitted into an unsettled socket will not fit once the tissues shrink. Active infection is a reason to postpone. Children are fitted early to encourage the socket to develop, but their prostheses need enlarging as they grow. In every case the treating team, not the calendar, sets the timing.

Enucleation, evisceration and scleral shells: how the options compare

The route to a prosthesis shapes what it can do afterwards. The table below summarizes the typical picture; individual results depend on healing, implant choice and the surgeon’s findings.

Situation	What is removed	Typical movement	Typical symmetry concerns
Enucleation with implant	Entire eyeball; muscles attached to or around implant	Reduced, better horizontally than vertically	Volume loss, deep upper fold, lid droop possible
Evisceration with implant	Contents of the eye; outer coat and muscles kept	Often closer to natural, still limited at extremes	Usually less volume loss; not an option when tumor suspected
Scleral shell over a shrunken eye	Nothing removed; shell fits over existing eye	Often good, follows the eye beneath	Depends on how much the underlying eye has shrunk
Socket with no implant or a small one	Eyeball, with little volume replaced	Poor	Sunken appearance, sagging lids common

A few things the table cannot show. First, the categories blur in real life: a socket that healed with scarring can behave worse than its category suggests, and a well-fitted socket in the enucleation row can look better than a poorly fitted one in the evisceration row. Second, movement and symmetry are not the same measure. A prosthesis can move well and still sit low, or sit perfectly and barely move.

Third, and most important, the choice between these routes is a medical one driven by the underlying disease. Nobody should ask for evisceration because the table says movement is better; when a tumor is possible, complete removal is the safe path, and the surgeon will explain why. The table is for understanding what to expect, not for choosing a procedure.

The first days and weeks: from conformer to first fitting

The early timeline surprises many people, mostly because the finished eye comes later than they imagined.

In the days after surgery the socket is swollen and bruised, and a pressure dressing is often worn briefly. The clear conformer sits behind the lids. It can look alarming because it is transparent and shows the pink tissue beneath, but its only job is to keep the eyelids from shrinking inward while the socket heals. It is usually left in place until the ocularist fitting.

Over the following weeks swelling falls, and with it the socket changes shape. This is why ocularists wait. Clinical patient references describe the first custom fitting typically at about 6–8 weeks after surgery. Fitting a shell earlier risks a prosthesis that becomes loose within months.

The fitting itself is usually spread over more than one visit. An impression is taken, a wax or acrylic trial shape is tested for comfort and lid position, and then the final shell is painted with the other eye as the reference. Some ocularists paint with the person in the chair so the iris can be compared side by side in natural light.

Once the prosthesis is in, the first few weeks are about adaptation. The socket may produce more mucus than it will later. Lids can feel tight, then loosen. Movement often improves modestly over the first months as the tissue settles around the shell and as you learn, without trying, to make smaller eye movements and larger head movements. A return visit to check fit and polish the surface is standard.

None of these steps is rushed, and none of the timings above is a promise. A socket that heals slowly is not a socket that has failed; it is one that needs a little longer before the mold is taken.

Seeing with one eye: depth, field and everyday adjustments

A prosthesis changes how you look. Losing the eye changes how you see, and the two are easy to confuse in the early months.

Two eyes set a few centimeters apart give the brain slightly different pictures, and it fuses them into a sense of depth called stereopsis. With one eye that cue is gone. What remains are the other depth cues: the relative size of objects, perspective lines, shadows, motion, and the way nearer things overlap farther ones. The brain leans on these more heavily over time. Early on, though, pouring a drink, judging a step, threading a needle or reaching for a door handle can go slightly wrong. Reaching a little short of a glass and knocking it is a classic first-week experience.

The visual field also narrows on the side of the missing eye. You may not notice a person approaching from that side until they are nearly beside you. The practical adaptation is to turn the head more, especially in crowds, in kitchens and when crossing roads.

These changes are about the eye that is gone, not the prosthesis. A better-fitting shell will not improve depth perception, and no prosthesis restores any vision. What does help is time and ordinary practice. Most people report that daily tasks feel routine again within months, although fine depth tasks can remain a touch harder.

One safety point deserves emphasis. The remaining eye is now the only eye. Protective eyewear for sports, DIY, gardening and any workplace with flying particles is not optional caution; it is protecting your sight. Regular eye examinations for the seeing eye are similarly worth keeping up, and your eye specialist can advise how often.

Can you drive if you have a prosthetic eye? Driving with a prosthetic eye explained

In many places, yes, provided the remaining eye meets the visual standard for a license, and provided you have had time to adapt. The details differ between countries and, in the United States, between states, so the licensing authority where you live is the only reliable source of the exact rules. Some require you to report the loss of an eye; some set a minimum acuity for the seeing eye; some require a wider mirror or a formal assessment for commercial licenses.

Medically, the concerns are the two changes described above: depth judgment and the narrowed field on one side. Depth matters when judging gaps, parking and following distance. The field matters at junctions and when changing lanes. Both are manageable for most people, but not on the first day. Clinicians commonly advise a period of adjustment before driving again after eye removal, and many people find they naturally check their mirrors more and turn their head further at junctions.

The prosthesis itself is neutral to driving. It does not see, so it cannot help, and it does not obstruct the seeing eye, so it does not hinder. What it can do is make you more conscious of the side you cannot see, which is arguably useful.

Practical steps people find helpful, none of which replaces the legal requirements:

• Ask the eye specialist to confirm the seeing eye meets the local standard and to note it in your record.
• Begin with familiar routes in daylight and dry weather.
• Consider a wider interior mirror or an additional blind-spot mirror on the side of the missing eye.
• Do not drive while the socket is still swollen or while taking any medicine that causes drowsiness, and ask the prescribing clinician if unsure.

If you drive professionally, expect stricter rules, and raise the question with your treating team before you return to work.

Can you wear a prosthetic eye all the time? Sleep, removal and daily care

Most people can wear the prosthesis around the clock, including during sleep, and many ocularists prefer it that way. Constant wear keeps the eyelids supported and the socket in shape. Removing it every night, by contrast, exposes the conjunctiva to more air and handling and can increase irritation and discharge.

That said, the shell is not meant to stay in forever without cleaning. Typical guidance from patient references is to remove and clean it periodically, as the ocularist advises, using mild soap and water rather than solvents or abrasive cloths, and to have it professionally polished at least once a year. Polishing matters because acrylic develops microscopic scratches that collect protein and mucus, and a rough surface irritates the tissue behind it. A freshly polished eye often feels noticeably more comfortable, which surprises people who assumed the discomfort was simply how a prosthesis feels.

Removal is done by pulling the lower lid down and letting the shell tip out, or with a small suction cup; insertion is the reverse, upper edge first, under the upper lid, then the lower lid pulled down to let the lower edge slip in. The ocularist teaches this before you leave the first fitting, and it becomes a routine gesture within weeks. Over a sink with a towel in the basin is the usual precaution against a dropped and cracked shell.

Swimming and showering are generally fine with the eye in place, though goggles in a pool protect against loss. Some people choose to remove the prosthesis for contact sports, others do not; there is no single rule.

The overarching principle: the prosthesis stays in most of the time, comes out for cleaning on a schedule agreed with the ocularist, and returns to the bench for polishing on a regular cycle. Any pattern that involves the eye being out for days at a time is worth discussing, because the lids can begin to tighten.

What are the downsides of wearing prosthetic eyes? An honest list

A prosthesis is a good solution to a hard problem, and it has drawbacks. Naming them is more useful than glossing over them.

Discharge. The socket lines itself with mucus, and a foreign surface encourages more of it. Some daily discharge, especially on waking, is normal. Thick, colored or smelly discharge is not, and is discussed in the red-flag section below.

Dryness and a gritty feeling. Without a natural tear film spreading over a living cornea, the shell can feel dry, particularly in air-conditioned or windy environments. Lubricating drops formulated for the socket are commonly used; the ocularist or eye specialist can advise which types are appropriate.

Reduced movement and imperfect symmetry. Covered above, and the source of most long-term dissatisfaction when expectations were set too high at the start.

Lid changes over years. The lower lid may sag under the weight of the shell, the upper fold may deepen as fat in the socket thins with age, and the prosthesis may need reshaping or, eventually, surgery to restore support.

Replacement. Sockets change and acrylic ages. Patient references commonly describe replacement roughly every five years for adults, sooner for children whose sockets are growing. A shell that fitted well at the start can become loose, rotate, or sit lower as the tissue beneath it changes.

Implant problems. Rarely, the tissue over the implant thins and the implant becomes exposed, or the implant shifts. These are surgical matters and need assessment.

The remaining eye carries everything. Any threat to it is now a threat to all sight.

Weighed against the alternative, which is an unsupported socket with lids that collapse inward, most people consider these manageable. But they are real, they take up small amounts of time and attention for life, and knowing them in advance is part of setting expectations honestly.

How long does a prosthetic eye last, and what changes over the years

The prosthesis outlives its fit long before it wears out. Acrylic is durable; the socket is not static. That mismatch is why replacement is driven by how the shell sits rather than by how the shell looks.

In the first year the socket usually finishes shrinking as the last swelling resolves. The first prosthesis may become slightly loose, and the ocularist can often enlarge it or add material to the back to restore the fit. In children, the reverse happens: the socket grows, and the prosthesis must be enlarged repeatedly to keep pace and to encourage the bony orbit to develop. NHS guidance on retinoblastoma notes that a child’s artificial eye will need changing as they grow.

Over subsequent years three slow changes are typical. The fat in the socket thins, deepening the fold above the lid. The lower lid stretches under the shell’s weight. And the surface of the acrylic, even with regular polishing, accumulates fine scratches and may discolor slightly. Patient references describe replacement roughly every five years in adults as a common pattern, but a shell that still fits well, sits level and feels comfortable is not replaced simply because a number of years have passed.

Signs the current eye is reaching the end of its useful life include:

• Rotation of the shell so the iris tilts or the painted vessels sit at the wrong angle.
• A visible gap beneath the lower lid or a lid that no longer closes fully.
• Persistent discomfort that polishing does not resolve.
• A noticeable increase in discharge without infection.

A change in the prosthesis is sometimes enough. A change in the socket, particularly loss of volume or a sagging lid, sometimes needs the surgeon rather than the ocularist. The two professions work together, and the person best placed to say which is needed is the one examining the socket.

What people often get wrong about prosthetic eyes

Myth: it is a glass ball that fills the socket. Almost all modern prostheses are acrylic shells, not spheres, and they sit over an implant. The ball, if there is one, is the implant, and it is never visible.

Myth: a better ocularist means a fully moving eye. Painting skill affects how the iris looks. Movement is set by the surgery, the implant and the socket. The most gifted ocularist works within those limits, and a shell that moves modestly is not evidence of poor work.

Myth: it can be made to see, or one day will be. Research into visual prostheses that stimulate the retina or brain is real but is an entirely separate field from the cosmetic prosthesis discussed here. A prosthetic eye of this kind has no visual function and no upgrade path to one. Any headline about “bionic eyes” is about something else.

Myth: it must come out every night. Continuous wear is common and often preferred. Removal is for cleaning on a schedule, not a nightly ritual.

Myth: once fitted, it is finished. Sockets change, children grow, acrylic scratches. Polishing, adjustments and eventual replacement are part of owning one.

Myth: people will always be able to tell. At conversational distance and in normal lighting, a well-fitted prosthesis frequently passes unnoticed. Family members who know to look will see the lag at extreme gaze. Strangers usually will not.

Myth: a lid that droops slightly means the prosthesis is wrong. Mild asymmetry is common and can have several causes, some in the shell and some in the socket. It deserves an assessment, not an assumption.

Myth: there is nothing to be done about poor movement or a sunken look. There are options, from reshaping the shell to surgical volume replacement or lid procedures, each with its own trade-offs. Whether any of them is appropriate is a conversation for the surgical team.

Questions to ask your care team before and after fitting

Good expectations come from good questions asked early. These are the ones that tend to matter most, grouped by who usually answers them.

For the surgeon, before surgery:

• Which procedure are you recommending, enucleation or evisceration, and why is that the right one for my diagnosis?
• What kind of implant will you use, and how will the eye muscles be attached to it?
• How much movement is realistic for a socket like mine, and what could limit it?
• Are there features of my orbit or previous injuries that make symmetry harder to achieve?

For the ocularist, at fitting:

• How often should I remove and clean the prosthesis, and how will you teach me to do it?
• How often should it be polished, and how will I know when it needs replacing?
• What lubricants are suitable for the socket, and which products should I avoid?
• If the lid sits low or the eye looks sunken, what can be adjusted in the shell and what would need the surgeon?

For either, about daily life:

• When is it reasonable to drive again, and whom do I need to notify?
• Are there activities where you would advise removing the eye or wearing protection?
• What eye protection do you recommend for my remaining eye, and how often should it be examined?
• What symptoms should make me call, and whom do I call?

Take notes, or bring someone who will. The answers set the baseline against which you will judge the result, and a result judged against a realistic baseline is a result you can live with comfortably. Decisions about procedure, implant, timing and any later revision rest with the treating team, informed by what you tell them matters most to you.

When to call your doctor: red-flag signs with a prosthetic eye

Most days a prosthetic eye needs no medical attention at all. A few signs should prompt a prompt call to your eye specialist, surgeon or ocularist, and some warrant same-day care.

Seek care the same day if you notice:

• Increasing pain, swelling or redness of the lids or socket, particularly with fever, which can indicate infection spreading beyond the surface.
• Thick yellow or green discharge, a foul smell, or discharge that has suddenly increased sharply.
• Bleeding from the socket that does not settle quickly.
• A visible white or shiny area in the socket behind the prosthesis, or a feeling that something hard is protruding, which can mean the implant has become exposed.
• Any change in the vision of your remaining eye: blurring, flashes, a curtain or shadow, new floaters, or pain. With one seeing eye, these are always urgent.

Arrange a routine appointment if you notice:

• The prosthesis has started to rotate, sit lower, or fall out with minor lid movements.
• Persistent grittiness or discomfort that does not improve after a professional polish.
• The lid on the prosthetic side has drooped noticeably, or the eye looks more sunken than it did.
• The socket lining looks lumpy or has developed a growth that was not there before.
• In a child, the prosthesis appears small for the socket or the two eyes look increasingly different in size.

Two general rules help. First, discharge that is clear or slightly white and appears mainly on waking is usually normal; discharge that is colored, smelly or increasing is not. Second, never try to fix a stuck, painful or exposed implant at home. Remove the prosthesis only if you can do so easily and without pain, keep it clean, and let the team examine the socket.

Nothing in this article replaces that examination. It is written to help you recognize what is ordinary and what is not, so that the call, when you make it, is made in time.

Frequently asked questions

Can a prosthetic eye move like a normal eye?

Not fully. It moves indirectly, carried by the tissue over the implant to which the eye muscles are attached, so some motion is lost at each step. In the central range used for conversation the movement can be reasonably natural; at the extremes of gaze the prosthesis lags visibly. Movement is usually better horizontally than vertically.

What are the downsides of wearing a prosthetic eye?

The most common are mucus discharge, dryness or a gritty feeling, reduced movement, and mild asymmetry of the eyelids. Over years the lower lid can sag and the socket can lose volume, so the shell needs adjustments and eventual replacement. Rarely the implant beneath can shift or become exposed, which needs surgical assessment.

Can you drive with a prosthetic eye?

Often yes, if the remaining eye meets the visual standard set by your local licensing authority and you have had time to adapt to reduced depth perception and a narrower field on one side. Rules on reporting and on commercial licenses vary by country and state, so check with the licensing body and your eye specialist before returning to driving.

Can you wear a prosthetic eye all the time?

Most people can wear it continuously, including at night, and many ocularists prefer this because it keeps the lids supported and reduces handling. It should still be removed for cleaning on a schedule the ocularist recommends and professionally polished at least once a year so the surface stays smooth against the socket lining.

How long does a prosthetic eye last before it needs replacing?

Patient references commonly describe replacement roughly every five years for adults, and more often for children whose sockets are growing. The trigger is usually a change in fit, such as rotation, a lower position or a gap under the lid, rather than wear of the acrylic itself. A shell that still fits well is not replaced simply on age.

Why does my prosthetic eye look lower or more sunken than my other eye?

Usually because the socket has lost volume, either from an implant smaller than the tissue removed or from thinning of fat over time, or because the lower lid has stretched under the shell’s weight. Some of this can be corrected by reshaping the prosthesis; larger differences may need a surgical revision, which the surgeon can assess.

Will people be able to tell I have an artificial eye after enucleation?

At normal conversational distance and in ordinary light, a well-fitted prosthesis frequently goes unnoticed. People who know to look may spot a lag when you glance far to one side or up. Lid position and the depth of the upper fold usually give more away than the painted iris does.

Does a prosthetic eye restore any vision?

No. A cosmetic prosthesis has no visual function and no pathway to gaining one. Research into retinal or brain implants that stimulate vision is a separate field and is not related to the acrylic shell fitted after eye removal. Depth perception and side vision on that side are lost because the eye is gone.

How soon after surgery is a prosthetic eye fitted?

Patient references describe the first custom fitting typically around 6–8 weeks after surgery, once swelling has settled and the socket has taken its shape. Until then a clear conformer holds the lids in position. The surgeon decides when the socket is ready, and slower healing simply means a slightly later fitting.

What should normal discharge from a prosthetic eye look like?

Some clear or whitish mucus, mainly on waking, is normal because the socket lining produces mucus around a foreign surface. Discharge that turns yellow or green, smells, increases sharply, or comes with pain, swelling or fever is not normal and should prompt a same-day call to your eye specialist or surgeon.

References

• NHS: Eye cancer
• NHS: Retinoblastoma (eye cancer in children)
• MedlinePlus: Eye Injuries

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.