At Zacks Eye Clinic in central London we see several patients with complex prescriptions who benefit greatly from scleral contact lenses.
What are Scleral Contact Lenses?
Scleral lenses are custom made large-diameter rigid gas permeable contact lenses designed to cover the entire corneal surface and rest on the sclera (white part of the eye).
‘Very thorough exam and superbly fitted lenses… the aftercare and support were exceptional’
J Hume
Benefits of Scleral Contact Lenses
Scleral contact lenses provide a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by corneal irregularities. They provide excellent visual correction for patients with ocular surface disorders such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration and severe dry eye disease. They can also be used following corneal surgery.
Scleral contact lenses are extremely stable on the eye and do not move around like smaller, conventional (corneal) gas permeable contact lenses. The stability greatly improves comfort making them an excellent option for patients with sensitive eyes.
The space between the front of the eye and the back surface of a scleral lens acts as a fluid reservoir, providing a therapeutic benefit to patients with severe dry eyes who otherwise could not tolerate contact lens wear.
Scleral Contact Lens Types
Scleral contact lenses are sub-categorised according to their size and how they rest on the front surface of the eye. Modern scleral’s are produced using highly ‘breathable’, rigid gas permeable contact lens materials. This makes them safe to wear all day with plenty of oxygen passing through the lens to the eye.
- 13mm-15mm Corneo-scleral contact lenses and semi-scleral lenses are much larger than conventional (corneal) RGP lenses but smaller than full scleral contact lenses. They rest near the junction between the cornea and the sclera.
- 15mm-18mm -Mini-scleral lenses cover the entire corneal surface and rest on the sclera a few millimetres beyond the edge of the cornea.
- 18mm-24mm – Larger, scleral contact lenses are usually reserved to bridge large changes in curvature on very irregular eyes and are sometimes individually made, taking impressions of the eye to cast a mould for the lens.
For more information on scleral contact lenses or to find out if they are suitable for your eyes, please contact us to make an appointment for a consultation at our London practice.
