Specialized Comfort – Scleral Lenses
WHAT ARE SCLERAL LENSES?
These contact lenses are designed with a larger diameter than typical off-the-shelf contacts. They are large enough that they rest on the sclera (the white area of the eye’s surface). Because they don’t touch the cornea (which has the most sensitive nerve receptors in the body) they are remarkably comfortable.
There are two huge benefits to this design. First, scleral lenses create a smooth optical surface, covering over all irregularity in the cornea. This allows for exceptional clarity of vision, even for people with irregular astigmatism, keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, post-Lasik corneal ectasia, radial keratotomy, post-traumatic scarring, post-corneal transplant, or other forms of poor optics. Second, the back surface of the scleral lens is fit 125-300 microns above the cornea, leaving a reservoir of lubricating saline solution continuously bathing the cornea in fluid. For people with dry eye disease, incomplete lid closure, graft-host disease, or other reasons for poor corneal surface health, this can vastly improve visual clarity, as well as eye surface health and comfort. From both an optics and a corneal comfort perspective, we’ve literally seen people here in Whatcom County have their lives changed due to scleral lenses.
How Do Scleral Lenses Compare with Other Types of Contact Lenses?
These lenses are big. We typically use scleral lenses that are 15.8mm in diameter, but that depends based on individual corneal sizes and conditions. They are also more cumbersome to use (there’s always a catch, right?). Sclerals take a bit more time to insert and remove compared to most contacts, and require particular solutions to clean and fill the bowl of the lens with prior to insertion.
Since the scleral lenses are bigger in size, they also stay in the eye better. You don’t need to worry about the contact lens accidentally falling out of the eye. Since they are more stable within the eye, and because they mask virtually all corneal irregularity, these contact lenses offer superior optics & vision compared with any other contact lens options.
Do you have irregularly shaped corneas, dry eyes, or a corneal disease? Talk with us about the benefits of scleral contact lenses for your vision correction! Many dozens of patients with hard-to-fit eyes or numerous corneal diseases have experienced great success by using scleral lenses here at Mt Baker Vision Clinic.
THE FOLLOWING EYE CONDITIONS ARE AMONG THOSE THAT CAN BE TREATED WITH SCLERAL LENSES:
- Keratoconus
- Pellucid corneal degeneration
- Post-Corneal Transplant (PKP)
- Post-Lasik Corneal Ectasia
- Terrien’s marginal degeneration
- Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency
- Post-RK (Radial Keratotomy Refractive Surgery)
- Corneal Scars
- High Regular or Irregular Astigmatism
- Dry Eye Syndrome
- Corneal desiccation secondary to poor eyelid closure
- Hard to fit corneas
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
We have found Scleral lenses to be, quite literally, life changing for many of our patients. We’re passionate about making peoples’ lives better. Please come see us if you think you, or someone you know, might benefit from these lenses too. We’d love to serve you in this way, too.
