Ophthalmic Practice Head — Modular Eye Holder

A two-piece, head-shaped fixture for arranging ophthalmic practice materials under a microscope.

The upper face preserves the nose and brow, with a flat underside for tabletop use. The detachable rear section follows the original head sculpt’s curvature and includes passages for straps to secure the fixture to a suitable headrest. Ears and the lower face are removed to reduce material use.

PROTOTYPE STATUS

This v4 design has passed digital mesh checks but has not been physically printed or tested. Images are digital renders, not photographs of a printed model. Print settings are suggested starting points.

FEATURES

• Flat-bottom face for tabletop practice.
• Detachable, contoured rear support.
• Two 44 mm eye wells with interchangeable 43.4 mm inserts.
• TPU pinning pads for holding practice materials.
• Optional rigid cups for silicone inserts.
• Recessed magnets and locating dowels.
• Two 27 × 4 mm passages for purchased 25 mm webbing straps.
• Optional TPU contact strips.

Intended practice materials include artificial eyes, vegetables and ex-vivo specimens. The holders do not reproduce tissue properties or provide suction.

FILES AND QUANTITIES

01_flat_bottom_face_PETG.stl — print 1 in PETG.
02_rounded_strap_base_PETG.stl — print 1 in PETG.
03_TPU_pinning_pad_print_two.stl — print 2 in TPU.
04_silicone_cup_optional.stl — optional; print in PETG.
05_locating_dowel_print_two.stl — print 2 in PETG.
06_eye_socket_test.stl — print this first to check insert fit.
07_TPU_contact_strip_print_two.stl — optional; print 2 in TPU.

Face dimensions: approximately 143.5 × 152.5 × 85.7 mm.
Rear section: approximately 157.6 × 162.1 × 130.0 mm.

Each part fits within a nominal 256 mm build volume. Allow additional space for any brim.

HARDWARE AND ASSEMBLY

• Eight 8 × 3 mm disc magnets.
• Suitable adhesive for the magnets and locating dowels.
• Two 25 mm webbing straps with buckles for headrest mounting.
• Optional silicone pucks, approximately 37.5–38 mm diameter × 18 mm thick.

Glue the locating dowels into the rear section only. Install magnets flush or slightly recessed, checking that each mating pair attracts. Keep the two main pieces detachable.

PRINTING STARTING POINTS

Print at 100% scale in millimetres. Both main pieces are supplied with their flat mating surfaces on the build plate. Print them separately.

PETG: 0.2 mm layers, 4 walls, 5 top/bottom layers and 12–18% infill.

TPU pads: 0.2 mm layers, 2 walls, 3 top/bottom layers and 25–35% infill.

Inspect the nose and side contours for local supports. The strap passages require bridging over 27 mm; avoid inaccessible supports inside them.

Print the socket test and one TPU pad first. TPU may be harder to pierce than silicone, so assess pin penetration and grip before printing more.

USE

Use the face alone on a nonslip tabletop surface, or attach it to the rear support. Route straps around a suitable fixed part of the headrest, clear of adjustment mechanisms.

Bed fit, magnetic retention and stability require physical testing. This is not a universal bed adapter.

Training fixture only. Not for patient contact or restraint, and not an anatomically or clinically validated simulator. Printed parts and adhesives are not validated for sterilization; do not autoclave. Use appropriate wet-lab handling and external fluid containment for animal specimens.

SOURCE AND LICENCE

Adapted from “Head (Sculpting) — Realistic by Dan Ulrich (CC0)” from the Blender Human Base Meshes collection. The source page also credits Blender Studio, Paul Kotelevets, Tonatiuh de San Julián and Julien Kaspar.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Head_(Sculpting)_-_Realistic_by_Dan_Ulrich_(CC0).stl

Modifications include lower-face trimming, local ear removal, eye wells, a flat two-part split, magnet and dowel recesses, strap passages and interchangeable holders.

The adaptation was developed with AI-assisted CAD scripting.