Are Scleral Contact Lenses Right for Me?

Have you been told in the past that you can’t wear contact lenses?

While it may be true that your prescription is not compatible with standard soft lenses, a custom specialty lens could be just what you are looking for to get you out of your glasses without surgery. Specialty lenses are designed to be completely customizable, and we offer a variety of lens options including gas-permeable, hybrid, and scleral lenses. Scleral contact lenses are a type of specialized contact lens that are designed to cover the entire surface of the eye, including the sclera (the white part of the eye). They are typically larger in diameter than traditional contact lenses and are made of a rigid, gas-permeable material.

Some specialty contact lenses functionally replace the irregular cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by keratoconus and other corneal irregularities. They are also used for eyes that have undergone a cornea transplant, and for people with severe dry eyes caused by conditions. For individuals who wish to be free from reading glasses, multifocal contacts are available. Specialty contact lenses are custom-made for each wearer, so fitting these specialty contacts demands greater expertise and significantly more time than fitting standard contact lenses. We also offer orthokeratology, a specialty contact lens that reshapes the front curvature of the eyes resulting in clear vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses. These type of lenses may slow the progression of nearsightedness, and is a safe and non-surgical alternative for some patients who are not candidates for surgical vision correction.

 While the fitting process is significantly more complex than a standard soft lens and will require multiple visits, a custom contact lens allows patients to achieve optimal vision. Our most commonly prescribed specialty lens is the scleral lens. This is a large-diameter lens that covers the entirety of the cornea and creates a new optical surface that allows patients to see better than they ever have. The lenses are made out of medical-grade plastic, but because they vault over the cornea, have minimal to no movement and have a constant fluid layer between the lens and the eye.

There are several benefits to using scleral contact lenses. First and foremost, they can provide excellent vision correction for people with severe vision impairments or eye conditions that cannot be corrected with traditional contact lenses or glasses. They can also be more comfortable than traditional contact lenses, as they do not rest directly on the cornea and do not cause as much dryness or irritation. In fact, they are some of the most comfortable lenses on the market. While it might seem counterintuitive, scleral contact lenses are even more comfortable than most soft contact lenses. How? The cornea has the most nerve endings of any tissue on the surface of the body. However, the sclera has very few nerve endings. By avoiding the cornea and only resting on the sclera, these lenses provide very little “awareness” feeling to the user. Because these lenses are so large, they actually sit entirely behind the eyelids. Therefore, when you blink, you don’t rub across the edges of the contact lenses. This lack of lid interaction further enhances their comfort.

Scleral contact lenses are used to treat a variety of vision conditions, including keratoconus (a degenerative eye condition that causes the cornea to thin and bulge), corneal scarring, and irregular astigmatism (a condition in which the cornea is misshapen). They are also commonly used to treat dry eye syndrome, a condition in which the eyes do not produce enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly. Scleral lenses are helpful to improve vision in patients with many corneal irregularities including:

•             Keratoconus

•             Pellucid marginal degeneration

•             High astigmatism

•             Corneal scarring

•             Post corneal transplant

•             Post Radial Keratotomy (RK)

•             Post LASIK complications

It can also help to provide relief in patients with ocular surface conditions including:

•             Dry Eye Syndrome

•             Sjogren’s

•             Corneal exposure and Bell’s palsy related irritation

•             Graft vs host disease

•             History of ocular herpetic disorders

•             Autoimmune related dry eye

In addition to their visual and comfort benefits, scleral contact lenses can also provide therapeutic benefits for people with certain eye conditions. For example, they can help to protect the cornea and may reduce the risk of further damage in people with keratoconus. They can also help to reduce inflammation and improve the overall health of the eye in people with dry eye syndrome.

If you are considering scleral contact lenses as a treatment option for your vision needs, it is important to speak with an eye care professional for a proper evaluation. They will be able to determine if scleral contact lenses are the right choice for you and provide you with the necessary guidance and instruction on how to properly care for and wear them. Scleral contact lenses do require a higher level of care and maintenance than traditional contact lenses, as they must be filled with a special saline solution before use. They also require a longer adaptation period and may take some time to get used to. However, for many people, the benefits of scleral contact lenses outweigh the extra effort required to care for them.

Custom lenses are a great option for many patients and can allow even the most “difficult” of cases to have the option of wearing contact lenses. Come to our office and see if a specialty lens is the right option for you!