§ 11-a. Repair or replacement of prosthetic devices. If, as a result of services performed in line of duty, a volunteer firefighter damages or loses any prosthetic devices required to be worn or used by him or her, whether or not he or she is injured, such prosthetic device shall be repaired, or replaced in the discretion of the workers' compensation board, and necessary medical, surgical or other attendance or treatment, nurse and hospital service, in connection therewith shall be furnished, in the same manner as a prosthetic device would be furnished, replaced or repaired and treatment and care provided under the provisions of section sixteen of this chapter. Damage to or loss of a prosthetic device shall be deemed an injury, except that no disability benefits shall be payable with respect to such injury under sections eight, nine, ten and eleven of this chapter. The term "prosthetic device" as used in this section includes an artificial limb, artificial eye, eyeglasses, contact lens, hearing aid, denture or dental appliance or any surgical appliance required to be worn or used by the volunteer firefighter, but shall not include shoes or any other article considered as ordinary wearing apparel, whether or not specially constructed.