UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Good evening,
I have got keratoconus and severe
dry eyes. Usually scleral lenses of 16mm diameter with a good material for dryness are suitable for me. I used to get them from the US, but can't anymore.

What are the best scleral lenses for dry eyes?
I live in Portsmouth. I Would prefer an optometrist in London or South of England. Thanks


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Hello Asadali and welcome.
Most of us get our lenses through a hospital eye clinic (which also means we get them at the subsidised NHS rate, whatever the type of lens) though not all hospitals provide scleral lenses. You would need to ask your GP to refer you. Southampton sees a lot of people with KC and I think do sclerals, but you'd need to check that. Somewhere like Moorfields Eye Hospital in London certainly does. But if you'd prefer to go to an optometrist outside the NHS, then have a look at our list of KC friendly optometrists here https://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk/optoms/ Again, not all of them will be able to supply sclerals, but some certainly will.

Dry eye is common alongside Keratoconus. Sclerals are often a good way of managing it. However getting to the bottom of the problem is important in the longterm. You might want to see a corneal consultant in addition to your contact lens fitter. It can be a symptom of an underlying medical issue. A change of diet, supplements like Omega 3 or as I found, a few months on Hylo-Night (not when you are wearing your lenses!) sorts the problem. Do speak to a professional though if it is an ongoing issue.