Specialty Contact Lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

I take pride in fitting not only the basic contacts with precision and care but also those contacts for patients that have been told in the past that they are “not good candidates” for contacts.

We have an excellent contact lens team that is able to fit contacts for astigmatism and multifocals. But we don’t stop there! We also fit RGP and scleral lenses for irregular corneas or diseased corneas.

Because they (RGP and Scleral) are larger than conventional gas permeable (GP) lenses, scleral lenses are more stable on the eye. They also provide initial comfort similar to soft lenses.

If you want to wear contact lenses but have had trouble wearing them in the past — or you’ve been told you are not a good candidate for contacts — scleral contact lenses may be the solution you are looking for.

These large-diameter gas permeable (GP) lenses offer the same advantages that conventional GP lenses have compared with soft contacts, including:

• Sharper vision
• Greater durability
• Easier handling
• Less risk of complications

They are called “scleral” lenses because, instead of covering only a portion of the cornea (like conventional GP lenses), these large GP lenses vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the “white” of the eye (the sclera).

Because of their size, scleral lenses are more stable on the eye than conventional GP lenses — so they are less likely to accidentally dislodge from the eye. This stability also can make them more comfortable than conventional GP lenses; scleral lenses provide initial comfort similar to soft lenses, especially for sensitive eyes or irregularly shaped corneas.

Types of Scleral Lenses

There are three categories of scleral lenses, based on size and where the lenses have their primary contact with the front surface of the eye:

• Corneo-scleral lenses and semi-scleral lenses are much larger larger than conventional GP lenses and rest near the junction between the cornea and the sclera.
• Mini-scleral lenses vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the anterior sclera.
• Full scleral lenses are the largest scleral lenses and provide the greatest amount of clearance between the back surface of the lens and the cornea.

All modern scleral lenses are made with highly breathable, rigid gas permeable lens materials. So though scleral lenses cover the entire cornea, plenty of oxygen reaches the front surface of the eye to keep it healthy and comfortable.

Are You a Good Candidate?

• Irregular corneas. Vision problems caused by an irregularly shaped cornea — whether naturally occurring, due to an eye condition such as keratoconus, or resulting from eye surgery — typically cannot be fully corrected with glasses or soft contact lenses. Scleral lenses typically will provide sharper vision for these eyes.
• Hard-to-fit eyes. If your eyes cannot be comfortably fitted with conventional GP lenses or the shape of your eye causes the lenses to dislodge too easily from your eyes (during sports, for example), scleral lenses can provide a more comfortable and secure fit.
• Dry eyes. If your eyes are too dry for conventional contact lenses, scleral lenses can help. In particular, the generous space between the back surface of full scleral lenses and the cornea acts as a tear reservoir to keep the front of your eye more moist and comfortable.