What Are Scleral Lenses?
A scleral lens is a hard, large diameter lens that sits on the white of the eye (the “sclera”) and vaults over the cornea. It is very stable and does not move on the eye. Scleral lenses are made of highly oxygen permeable material. Unlike other contact lenses, scleral lenses actually do not come in contact with the cornea when fit properly. By vaulting over the cornea, scleral lenses are capable of correcting for or neutralizing irregularities in the corneal surface caused by injury, surgery, or disease.
A liquid reservoir of sterile saline solution fills the space between the back surface of the scleral lens and the front surface of the eye creating a moisture chamber on the front of the eye. This liquid reservoir fills allows for superior comfort & vision correction beyond what conventional contact lenses and glasses may provide. Scleral lenses are use as therapy to both treat ocular surface diseases & provide vision correction.
What Ocular Conditions Can Scleral Lenses Help?
There are numerous ocular diseases/conditions that are best treated with scleral lenses. When fit correctly, a scleral lens is both a therapeutic device and a refractive device all in one. The scleral lenses that we design can fit virtually any eye shape, unlike conventional contact lenses. Common ocular conditions that may benefit from scleral lenses include, but are not limited to:
- Keratoconus
- Post-refractive surgical complications due to LASIK, Radial Keratotomy, PRK, etc… Many of these complications include distorted and fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, reduced night vision, halos, glare, starbursts and ocular pain.
- Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
- Complications resulting from corneal transplant surgery.
- Post-LASIK corneal ectasia.
- Chronic dry eyes due to systemic disease, medications, etc…
- Steven’s Johnson Syndrome, Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid
What Are Benefits Of Scleral Lenses?
- Significantly improved vision in cases where conventional glasses & contact lenses do not help.
- Elimination of ocular pain and discomfort due to disease, trauma, surgical complications, or ocular surface irregularities.
- Elimination of “higher order aberrations” including glare, halos, double vision, and light sensitivity as a result of other refractive surgeries.
How do I order Scleral Lenses?
Call our office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Taylor. You will need a comprehensive eye examination to determine whether or not scleral lenses are right for you. The process of custom-fitting scleral lenses to your eyes may take several visits. While the process of ordering scleral lenses may be tedious, the results can be life changing. Call 910-256-6364 to schedule an appointment.
