From the MAPS MOMS Microphthalmia, Anophthalmia Parent Support Facebook group:

"My son got his first set of conformers (clear shells) when he was 5mos old ( our earlier attempt had to be postponed due to him getting sick) anyhoo, at first it was slightly scary. however, he is now 10yrs old and old hat to us. He doesn't face any other health issues, currently, other than vision impairment and glaucoma. I should also say he has bilateral micro. For us, as in infant was easy to take shells in/out because we could lay him on the floor/bed and use the arms above head/straddle process. Now, he doesn't fight, he just verbally states frustration with removing and replacing. There is a suction device provided by his occularist that works wonderfully! and we use a lubricating gel to help slide in! I'm not sure if your daughter would fight with this process, but the whole initial molding was done while he was under anesthesia. Now, he's able to sit in the office with the use of numbing eye drops. The wearing shouldn't be an issue, but the fitting process may cause some issues. Hope it helps some!! Good luck!"

"Fitting process for conformers/prosthesis was not painful for my infant son. Though he HATED - I mean HATES being restrained, it was a physical struggle. But nothing painful to him. I hear kids being sedated for moldings, but he never was. My son liked to explore everything with his mouth, including conformers and prosthesis! He always had them in his mouth. He would wait until I put him to bed and in his mouth they went. Spent lots of time and money (insurance) sending them in to be buffed. Also, we were experts in days of getting conformers of taking them out, popping them back in and cleaning green goop up. In fact, I did a training for his teachers/aids on how to put them in or roll them around if he rubs one upside down. At 6 years of age, he just stopped doing that. Now he does not like them out at all!"

"For my daughter, fitting process is very hard, and painful ++ at the beginning because she had no orbit at all. In general ocularist says it's not painful but babies are affrayed by the situation and it should be also uncomfortable during few days. Her behavior after so many prothetics change shows that she hates to be restrained like Janet son's too. She wants to do without constraint and she's very autonomous. It's the same for other medical consultations, event not unpleasant one..."

"My daughter was sedated the 1st three times. After that I would lay my entire body over her to restrain her. She would have a blood curdling scream. I would cry the whole way home & think is this worth it? Yes, I personally think it was the right decision for us. Now, we go every 3 mths to have them removed & polished. She doesn't even flinch, sometimes even smiles. I don't remove them myself but did have to learn how to turn them with a suction cup. She doesn't have any problems with them."

"Hi, If you go onto the MACS Download page we have a book called 'My eye Man' which is child friendly but we also have a MACS Prosthetic Eye Booklet which is very useful as it explains the process of having an eye moulding. I have pics on my FB page of my son having one done as we are lucky he is very relaxed about it all & has been since he was a baby. Hope this helps here is the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/macsinfo/"

"Of course it's depend of the reason to put a shell. With her anophtalmia, for my daughter it's the only method to make her orbit grow in order to permit more symmetry in her face but if the shell can wait or be put under sedation it would be better... It's not possible in every case. Their is a formation in a child hospital in Paris for hypnose anesthesia, open to parents, I'm interesting in having information but it seems to be for oldier children... Ocularists and parents say me it is easier after 3 or 4 years when they can participate..."

"Orion likes his shells in. He was upset when the ocularist took them out for polishing. Once they were back in he was fine. It was easy for the ocularist to take/put them in, meaning the fuss, objecting is kept short. It's what he does everyday. Orion's first time, he cried for 20 minutes after the shells were in. Probably a new feeling. That was the only time he cried a long time."