Ocular Prosthetic Rehabilitation and Psychosocial Well-Being in Acquired Anophthalmia: Evidence from a Scoping Review

Acquired anophthalmia results in permanent visual loss and facial disfigurement and is frequently associated with substantial psychosocial consequences, including anxiety, depression, reduced self-esteem and diminished quality of life. Ocular prosthetic rehabilitation aims to restore facial appearance and support psychosocial adaptation; however, evidence regarding its psychological and social impact remains fragmented across heterogeneous study designs and outcome measures. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize available evidence on psychosocial outcomes associated with ocular prosthesis use in adults with acquired anophthalmia. The review followed the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework, refined by Levac et al ., and is reported according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase and the Cochrane Library was conducted from database inception to August 2025, supplemented by Google Scholar searches and manual screening of reference lists. Studies were selected using Population–Concept–Context criteria and included original peer-reviewed research evaluating psychosocial outcomes in adults aged 18 years or older using ocular prostheses after enucleation or evisceration. Of 273 identified records, 11 studies published between 2003 and 2025 met the eligibility criteria, including cross-sectional, cohort, longitudinal and retrospective designs with a combined sample of 1,506 participants. Quality of life was the most frequently assessed outcome, followed by anxiety, depression, perceived stress and social functioning. Most studies reported improved quality of life, social confidence and psychosocial adjustment after prosthesis use, particularly when rehabilitation involved early fitting and regular clinical follow-up. However, persistent psychological distress and appearance-related concerns remained in some patients, indicating the need for integrated rehabilitation approaches and services.