Choosing Iris Color and Size for a Stock Prosthetic Eye: A Practical Matching Guide
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The best way to choose iris color and size for a stock prosthetic eye is to start from a known specification: the size, shade and side recorded at a previous ocularist or ophthalmologist fitting. Your current prosthesis, your fitting records and a good photo of your natural eye are the three most useful tools. If you have never been fitted before, see an ocularist or ophthalmologist first, because size depends on your own anatomy and needs a clinical measurement.
This guide walks through how to read your existing specification, how to match iris shade in practice, and what to do when you fall between options. For background on materials, types and the fitting process, see our Prosthetic Eye Complete Buyer's Guide.
First, confirm a stock prosthesis is right for you
A stock (pre-sized) prosthetic eye works best for people who already know their specification. That typically includes:
- People replacing a worn prosthesis who were fitted before and know their size, shade and side.
- People who want a spare for travel, emergencies, or to wear while their main prosthesis is being cleaned or polished.
- Ocularists and clinics keeping trial-fit inventory.
If this is your first prosthesis, or your eye socket has changed since your last fitting (for example after further surgery, or in a growing child), please see your ocularist or ophthalmologist for a measurement before ordering. Follow their guidance on fit and wear.
Choosing the size
Start with your records
SciMed prosthetic eyes come in six sizes: 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 mm, measured as horizontal diameter. Most adult patients fit 20–26 mm, and pediatric patients are typically 18 mm. Those ranges are general guidance only. Your correct size is the one your clinician measured.
Places to find your size:
- Paperwork or invoices from your last ocularist fitting.
- Your ocularist's or ophthalmologist's office, which can usually look it up.
- Product details or labels from a previous stock prosthesis you ordered.
Signs your size may need reviewing
Ordering the same size as before is usually the safest choice. But talk to your clinician before reordering if you have noticed any of the following with your current prosthesis:
- It feels loose, moves out of place, or falls out more often than it used to.
- It feels tight, uncomfortable, or causes more irritation than before.
- Your eyelids look noticeably different from your other eye in a way that is new.
These can have many causes, and only a clinician can tell you whether a different size or a custom fitting is needed.
Choosing the iris color
The 13 shades
Each SciMed prosthetic eye is hand-painted with layered iris pigmentation and red silk fiber veining. The 13 shades fall into five families:
| Family | Shades |
|---|---|
| Blue | Sky Blue, Turquoise Blue, Aqua Blue |
| Green | Emerald Green, Sage Green, Asparagus Green, Forest Green |
| Brown | Caramel Brown, Dark Brown, Copper Brown, Coffee Brown |
| Gray | Slate Gray |
| Black | Black |
How to judge your natural eye color
Eye color can look very different depending on light, clothing and makeup. To get a fair read:
- Use natural daylight. Stand near a window with indirect daylight. Avoid direct sun, which washes out color, and warm indoor bulbs, which shift it toward yellow.
- Look at the overall impression, not just one fleck. Many irises have rings or flecks of a second color. Match the color most people notice at conversational distance.
- Compare to your current prosthesis. If people have told you your current prosthesis looks a little light or dark, note that and adjust toward the shade that better matches.
- Ask someone you trust. A family member who sees you every day often has a reliable sense of your eye color.
Use the free custom shade matching
If none of the listed shades feels quite right, SciMed offers custom shade matching at no extra charge. Send a photo of your remaining eye taken in natural lighting, and the team will paint to match. Tips for a useful photo:
- Take it in indirect daylight, facing a window, with no flash.
- Hold the camera at eye level and fill much of the frame with your eye.
- Turn off beauty filters and automatic enhancements if your phone has them.
- Send more than one photo if you can, including one showing your whole face.
Don't forget the side
Prosthetic eyes are made for either the left or the right side. Choose the side of the affected eye, from your own point of view. It is an easy detail to mix up when ordering quickly, so double-check it before you add the item to your cart.
A simple ordering checklist
- Confirm your size from your fitting records or your clinician.
- Choose your shade in daylight, or send a photo for custom matching.
- Confirm your side (left or right).
- Select the shade, size and side combination from the dropdown, for example "Dark Brown / 24 mm / Left."
- If your exact combination is not listed, email sales@scimedstore.com with your details before ordering, so the team can confirm they can make it.
What to expect after ordering
Your prosthesis arrives in a sterilized safety case with care instructions, in plain outer packaging. If the specification does not match what you ordered, or there is a manufacturing defect, SciMed offers a full refund within 30 days. For day-to-day care, read our daily cleaning, polishing and replacement guide, and follow any instructions from your ocularist.
Questions about shade or size? Email sales@scimedstore.com or message us on WhatsApp at +1-669-265-9353. We can help you understand the options, but sizing decisions should always come from your clinician.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes do SciMed prosthetic eyes come in?
Six sizes: 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 mm horizontal diameter. Most adult patients fit 20–26 mm and pediatric patients are typically 18 mm, but your correct size is the one measured by your ocularist or ophthalmologist.
How many iris colors are available?
There are 13 hand-painted shades across blue, green, brown, gray and black families. Free custom shade matching is also available if you send a photo of your remaining eye in natural lighting.
Can I order a stock prosthetic eye if I have never been fitted?
Please see an ocularist or ophthalmologist for sizing first. Once you know your size, shade and side from that fitting, you can order a stock prosthesis.
What if my exact shade, size and side combination is not listed?
Email sales@scimedstore.com with your specification before ordering. The team will confirm whether they can fulfill it, and you will get a full refund if they cannot match your specification.
How should I photograph my eye for shade matching?
Use indirect natural daylight with no flash, hold the camera at eye level, turn off filters, and send more than one photo if you can, including one of your whole face.