An ocularist is someone who specializes in the fabrication and fitting of ocular prostheses for people who have lost an eye or eye

Human eye

The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...

s due to trauma or illness. The fabrication process for a custom made eye typically includes taking an impression of the eye socket, shaping a plastic shell, painting the iris and then fitting the ocular prostheses.

In addition to creating the prosthetic eye, they show the patient how to care for and handle the prosthesis.
Ocularists may develop their skills from various background disciplines, for example medical, optometry

Optometry

Optometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...

, dental

Dentistry

Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...

, nursing

Nursing

Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....

, biology

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

, medical arts and illustration

Illustration

An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...

.

United States

Training and registration varies significantly worldwide. The American Society of Ocularists is the training organization for the worlds highest qualified Ocularists. The American Society of Ocularists teaches the fitting, fabrication, insertion, and maintenance of artificial eyes. The National Examining Board of Ocularists (N.E.B.O.) is the certifying agency for Ocularists in North America. NEBO designates the title of Board Certified Ocularist for Ocularists that have passed the NEBO examination. Those Ocularists that have achieved and maintained certification by NEBO are designated as Board Certified Ocularists, B.C.O. It is the intent of NEBO to provide a national standard that can be used as a measure of competence by interested agencies, groups and individuals. When deciding who is qualified to serve the patients’ needs, the B.C.O. indicates experience, training, competence and generally many years of experience helping patients or constituents. A Ocularist with the title Board Certified Ocularist, (B.C.O.) has also pledged to make custom prosthetics as opposed to stock prosthetics. Custom prosthetics are important because they are custom made to fit and function properly in a patients socket, as opposed to a stock prosthetic that is fit according to what fits the patient from the stock eye makers limited available options. Custom prosthetic eyes are not available throughout the entire world.

There is not a specific training program of study to call a person an "ocularist" at the present time. Therefore, this field is practiced in many places by maxillofacial prosthodontists

Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons...

 who are dentists who have undergone 3–4 years of specialty residency training. There are also technicians who practice this field as well after learning how to make artificial eyes through an apprenticeship program. There are also people who use the title of Ocularist who have had no formal training in the fitting, manufacture, and delivery of Ocular prosthetics.

• Enucleation of the Eye
• Prosthodontics
  Prosthodontics
  Prosthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons...
  
  
• Craniofacial prosthesis
  Craniofacial prosthesis
  Craniofacial prostheses are prostheses made by individuals trained in anaplastology or maxillofacial prosthodontics who medically help rehabilitate those suffering from facial defects caused by disease , trauma or birth defects...
  
  
• Anaplastology
  Anaplastology
  Anaplastology is a branch of medicine dealing with the prosthetic rehabilitation of an absent, disfigured, or malformed anatomically critical location of the face or body. The term anaplastology was coined by Walter G...
  
  
• :es:Prótesis ocular
• Digital Artificial Eye

Traditionally Ocularists hand paint the iris and sclera of an artificial eye. In the 1990's some ocularists began to use digital printing to enhance the natural appearance of the artificial eye. Digital artificial eyes are only made in a few ocularist offices.