UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi,

I need information about scleral lenses.

I hope there are many users and will be able to guide me to correct direction.

Are scleral lens soft lens?

Also, I heard these are quite bigger than normal soft lens. Is it easy to wear such big lens?

Do they give correct vision like RGP lens for KC patient?

Please provide your valuable comments.

Thanks,
Deepak

Hi

I don't know whether they are soft lenses or not (I am confused about the different types of contact lenses), but I can tell you some stuff about scleral lenses:

Scleral lenses are the bigger lenses which cover more of the eye, however, this isn't really anything to worry about! After having a trial of scleral lenses quite recently, I can tell you that scleral lenses are by far more comfortable than the smaller contact lenses (this could vary with different people - I have aggressive KC, and I find scleral lenses comfortable.). Unfortunately I can't tell you much about the vision with scleral lenses, as I have only trialled them.

It isn't as difficult as it looks to put into the eye! I'll tell you how they fit the lens so you know what to expect!

1) The scleral lens is filled with artificial tears
2) The patient's bottom eye lid is lowered with a finger (just like when you're putting in eye drops)
3) The lens goes into the bottom part of your eye
4) Finally, the top eyelid is opened like a pocket (similarly as it was for the bottom eyelid), and then the lens is placed fully into the eye.

It really isn't something to worry about, looking at the size of the lens can be overwhelming at first! But it seems to be worth it

Amarpreet

Welcome to the forum.

djain,

Amarpreet is right; sclerals are large hard lenses and are wonderful. May all time best lens was a scleral!

Andrew

Deepak,

Scerals are indeed hard rigid lenses and cover most of the eye. Before you ask.. yes they are available in India and generally are fairly costly. LVPEI fit them and I think there are several private practitioners.. I know they fit them in Maxivision in Hyderbad. However, I really don;t know the availability closer to you in New Dehli...

The sclerals in India tend to be Bostion sclerals and you can read up on them here: http://www.bostonsight.org/lens1.htm

Hope this helps!

Lynn

Hi.
I've been wearing cleral lenses for about 35 years, so here goes!
They are not soft lenses. These days, they are made of the same RGP (rigid gas permeable) plastics as the corneal (9mm diameter) lenses. Older ones were made of Perspex.
A scleral is m is aout 23mm in diameter . This sounds terrifying, but yu get used to putting them in and out.
I've got reasonably good vision with them - for the state of KC. At one stage, I was getting 6/5 vision with a scleral - that was a few years ago now, and my KC has got more advanced.
I've never worn the smaller, corneal, lenses, so can't really compare the comfort. But when the scleral is in and unless I have a bit of grit/eyelash/somethiing underneath, it is normally very comfortable.
Good luck with them. FOr some of us, they are great. Other people don't get on so well with them. It takes all sorts.
Hope they work for you.
Rosemary

Hi Everyone,

Thanks a lot for useful information you have provided.