How Scleral Lenses Treat Keratoconus

Keratoconus is a non-inflammatory eye condition. It causes your cornea to progressively thin, forming a cone-like bulging shape. It is hard for glasses to offer effective vision correction for keratoconus patients. For this reason, contact lenses are more effective.

Scleral contact lenses can provide vision correction for patients with keratoconus. Scleral contact lenses work by sitting on the sclera without touching the cornea. They not only deliver visual clarity but also offer more comfort to patients.

What Are Scleral Lenses?

They are custom contact lenses that improve comfort and visual acuity. They are effective for patients with irregular corneas and keratoconus. They vault over the cornea, resting on the sclera. This ensures they do not touch the damaged cornea and create a new optical surface. Its distinctive property of sitting on the sclera prevents discomfort to the wearer.

Moreover, it has a reservoir of pure saline liquid between the cornea and the back of the contact lens. This stimulates healing as the eye is always in a lubricated environment.

Best Option for Treating Keratoconus

Both scleral and rigid gas permeable lenses provide your eyes with sufficient oxygen. But scleral lenses offer more stable vision and comfort than conventional permeable lenses. Experts often turn to scleral lenses to treat patients with abnormally-shaped corneas and keratoconus.

They Offer Improved Vision

For keratoconus patients, scleral lenses offer clearer vision than eyeglasses. Scleral lenses can deliver 20/30 or even 20/20 vision to patients with keratoconus. On the other hand, the same patients will get 20/200 vision when using eyeglasses. Scleral lenses also offer more stable sight than generic eyeglasses. It is because they sit on the sclera, unlike other lenses.

They Offer More Comfort

Comfort is the most prominent feature of these contact lenses. Most patients report having improved comfort during the fitting process. The comfort can result from the size of scleral lenses.

Conventional contact lenses are smaller, measuring about nine millimeters in diameter. This can make blinking uncomfortable as the contact moves when it happens. Also, it can cause discomfort when your eyelids roll over the edge of the lens.

Scleral lenses have a larger diameter. This ensures it sits on a larger, less sensitive area. This makes blinking less uncomfortable. Additionally, the lens protects the bulging cornea from external irritants and abrasion. Scleral lenses also comprise oxygen permeable materials. They are essential in refreshing the ocular surface with artificial tears.

Improves the Quality of Life

Keratoconus is a lifelong disorder. It is often marred with a progressive decline in the quality of your vision. This can impact your quality of life. Studies show that patients who wear scleral lenses have a high quality of life.

The Takeaway

Although the process of fitting scleral lenses can be long and complicated, it is worth it. It improves your quality of life and achieves vision clarity. You must visit a well-trained optometrist for professional fitting of the lenses.

For more on treating keratoconus using scleral lenses, call Hedges Eye Care in Newberry, Florida at (352) 306-1103 today.