UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi

I wonder if anyone else out there has problems with bubbles in their scleral lens or a scleral lens wearer can give me some advice?

I fill up my scleral lens with celluvisc eye drops and insert it keeping my head down and holding the lens horizontally as I was shown at my fitting. It goes in fine but after a few minutes bubbles start to form. No matter how careful I am I just keep getting them. Sometimes there's only one little bubble and it doesn't bother me but other times there's a whole cluster of little bubbles and I have to start all over again.

Am I doing something wrong or is this normal?

Incidentally, I'm on the waiting list to have a graft (got a date of 30th September) so won't have to wear the lens for too much longer!

Thanks
Joanne

Hi Joanne

I too wear sclerals and all I can say I am sorry to say is practice!

I too at the beginning used to have to put in and take out my lens several times before having no bubbles but really, like with learning to drive, you get better over time. Try to keep going at it but do not hesitate to go back and see your optometrist who may be able to offer some advice.

What I would say is, after every three or four failed attempts it is worth giving your lens a good clean with a cleanser. What other solutions do you use? I use Miraflow to clean the lens (soon to be discontinued I might add but available if you try hard) and Saline to clean the Miraflow off and then fill the lens for insertion.

Also, how were you shown how to put the lens in? I tend to prop open both my upper and lower eyelid then physically place the lens onto my eye. Most people are shown to raise the upper eyelid, place the lens in then pull the lower eyelid down. Really, though, it comes down to personal preference, but any way, as I said, it is practice. Good luck and let me know if you need any further advice.

Also, what vision are you getting with your lens? I would strongly suggest that grafts are not always successful and that is something you should bare in mind before having surgery.

Thanks for the reply Jay. I'll keep practising! The method I was shown was to pull up the upper lid, slide the lens in and then pull the lower lid down. Perhaps I'll give your method a go and see if that helps.

The vision with my scleral is very poor - I can barely see the top 2 lines of the chart. I was getting very good vision with an RGP but the comfort was awful. Other lenses have been tried but I've got bad central scaring so I couldn't see out of them. I think the op is the last resort for me. I had my left eye grafted nearly 12 years ago with wonderful results so I can be hopeful I'll get the same result.

I too use Miraflow and am coming to the end of the only bottle I have. I've never found it on the high street so order it online. I'll now only need 1 more bottle to see me through to my op so I'll check online.

Thanks again
Joanne

I managed to get my scleral lens in today without a bubble in sight - I've no idea what I did differently!! I realised that I do actually pull both lids out of the way when I put it in but still need to pull down the bottom lid a bit more once it's on my eye.

I've just tried out the Snellen Chart from this website. With my left eye (grafted and glasses used) I can read the 20/20 (6/6) line and with consentration I can make out a couple of letters from the next line. With my right eye (scleral lens used) I can read the top line but it isn't clear and can just about make out the next line so I'd say 20/200 (6/60) for that eye. Not very good really! This was the state my left eye was in when I had it grafted plus while I was on the waiting list I got really bad hydrops.

Joanne