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 significant psychosocial consequences, including anxiety, depression, impaired self-esteem, and reduced quality of life. Ocular prosthetic rehabilitation is routinely employed to restore facial appearance; however, evidence regarding its psychosocial impact remains dispersed across heterogeneous study designs and outcome measures. This scoping review aimed to map, synthesize, and critically describe the available evidence on psychosocial outcomes associated with ocular prosthesis use in adults with acquired anophthalmia. The review was conducted in accordance with the Arksey and O’Malley framework, refined by Levac et al. , and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A comprehensive search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed from inception to August 2025, supplemented by searches of Google Scholar and reference lists. Eligible studies included original, peer-reviewed research assessing psychosocial outcomes in adults (≥18 years) using ocular prostheses following enucleation or evisceration. Data were charted on study design, population characteristics, prosthesis context, psychosocial outcome domains, measurement instruments, and key findings, with methodological quality descriptively appraised using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and risk of bias in nonrandomized studies - of interventions (ROBINS)-I. From 273 identified records, 11 studies published between 2003 and 2025 met the inclusion criteria, comprising cross-sectional, cohort, longitudinal, and retrospective designs, with a cumulative sample of 1506 participants. Quality of life was the most frequently assessed outcome, followed by anxiety, depression, and perceived stress or psychosocial adjustment. Most studies reported improvements in quality of life, social confidence, and psychosocial adjustment following ocular prosthesis use, particularly with early fitting and regular follow-up. However, persistent psychological distress and appearance-related concerns were reported in several cohorts. Overall, ocular prosthesis use is associated with generally favorable but variable psychosocial outcomes, underscoring the importance of structured follow-up and integrated psychosocial care.