Signs You May Need Scleral Contact Lenses

Your eyesight is one of the most precious treasures that you have. Proper vision care is extremely important for maintaining one of the five critical senses, which helps you live life to the fullest. If you have been affected by low vision issues, it may be time to explore specialty optical solutions, such as scleral lenses. Vision Source of Wellington, FL goes beyond the eye exam and eyeglass prescription to provide its patients with the utmost quality equipment in vision care solutions.

What are Scleral Lenses?

Scleral lenses are a type of specialty lens that help to solve problems surrounding eyeglass and contact lens solutions. Many people may not qualify for standard contact lenses, or may not even be a good fit for their particular situation. Scleral lenses are one of the best solutions when deciding what kind of step forward you would like to take in your healthcare improvement.

Why Do I Need Scleral Lenses?

Scleral Lenses are used in many different cases and have many benefits.

Irregular Eye Shape

Scleral Lenses are great for patients within the “hard-to-fit” category. If you have ever been denied contact lenses, it may be due to an irregular eye or cornea shape. Scleral lenses are much larger than the cornea and sit on top of the sclera, which is the white part of the eye – ensuring a proper fit for everyone.

Eye Disease

Some progressive eye diseases cause the cornea to bulge out, while others may cause irregularities in the ocular surface. Your physician will be able to correctly diagnose these symptoms and prescribe the proper lenses for your situation.

Dry Eyes

Severely dry eyes may be a result of other medication or advanced dry eye disease. Scleral lenses have a layer of protection between the eye and the lens that can be filled with a saline solution, keeping your eyes moist.

Your Local Quality Vision Care Experts

Vision Source of Wellington, FL is your local holistic eye care solution. During your consultation, the team will be able to properly guide you and recommend the best course of action to improve your quality of life.

How do Scleral Lenses Help With Dry Eye?  

Wearing traditional contact lenses when you have dry eye in Wellington, FL can be a little bit challenging. The lack of hydration that is symptomatic of dry eye typically makes it uncomfortable to wear regular contact lenses. Although eyeglasses are one good solution, there is another. Scleral lenses offer a way to correct vision problems for those with dry eye syndrome.

Scleral Lenses Increase Hydration

Because of the way that scleral lenses sit over, rather than on top of, the eyes, they don’t inhibit hydration of the eyes. In between the cornea and the scleral lens is a liquid reservoir that contains saline solution. This translates to near-constant hydration for the eyes, something that those with dry eye syndrome will benefit from.

Scleral Lenses Help Keep Cornea Safe From Damage

With dry eye syndrome, the eyes are under-hydrated, which can result in corneal damage from inflammation, friction or even abrasion. Scleral lenses act as a barrier between eyelids and the cornea, helping to keep the cornea free of irritation and damage.

Eye Irritation is Minimized With Scleral Lenses

Patients with dry eye syndrome often complain of irritation and discomfort. This is due to the eyes not being lubricated sufficiently. Regular contact lenses exacerbate this irritation and discomfort. But scleral lenses don’t come into contact with the cornea; the perimeter of the lens sits on the white part of the eye. Therefore, there is no direct contact with the cornea and eye irritation is minimized.

Scleral lenses are most often prescribed for those with corneal irregularities, damage or refractive errors. However, they are also ideal for many people who suffer from dry eye syndrome. Talk to your Wellington, FL eye doctor to find out if scleral lenses might be right for your needs.