Posted by: Dr. Ramsarat in Contacts, Scleral Lenses
Without bulky frames, contact lenses provide the most freedom among eyewear for vision correction. Unfortunately, not everyone can wear regular contact lenses, especially those with eye conditions that make using contact lenses much harder.
A condition like a keratoconus so alters the typical shape of the cornea that regular contacts cannot work. Vision correction using contacts when you have such a condition is only possible with specialty lenses like scleral lenses.
What Is Keratoconus?
Your vision requires that light first goes through the cornea and then the eye’s lens before it lands on the retina. The eye’s lens is responsible for 25% of the eye’s focusing power, with the cornea responsible for most of the rest. The cornea works like a lens; it is clear, dome-shaped, and right at the front of the eye.
Keratoconus changes the shape of the cornea, effectively interfering with 75% of your focusing power. The condition causes the cornea to become cone-shaped due to extreme bulging. It usually leads to the following vision changes:
- Glare
- Distorted vision
- Light sensitivity
- Blurry vision
- Itchy eyes
What Causes Corneal Irregularity In Keratoconus?
The leading cause of this condition is still not well understood, but it commonly occurs between 15 and 25 years. Experts associate it with the following:
- Allergies
- Family history of keratoconus
- Excessive eye rubbing
- Connective tissue disorders
- Some eye disorders or diseases
What Are Scleral Lenses?
Scleral lenses are specialty RGP contact lenses with a much larger diameter than regular contact lenses. Instead of resting on the cornea, scleral lenses arch over the cornea and rest on the white part of the eye. The vault they form over the cornea fills with tears, enhancing their vision correction ability.
Benefits Of Scleral Lenses For People With Keratoconus
Better Vision Quality
Because scleral lenses are rigid gas-permeable, they do not change their shape according to the eye. This makes them ideal for keratoconus as they take the place of the cornea in focusing light into the eye. The vision errors that occur due to the cone-shaped cornea are corrected, and they disappear.
Comfort
Scleral lenses are more comfortable for people with keratoconus because they do not sit on the sensitive cornea. The condition usually makes the cornea much thinner than it should be, becoming sensitive when they use a regular contact lens.
Moreover, the scleral lenses form a dam of tears between them and the cornea, helping keep the cornea moist and comfortable. Their gas-permeable nature ensures that the corneal tissues are well supplied with oxygen and stay healthy. All these factors play a role in making the contact lens-wearing experience much more comfortable.
Durability
Because scleral lenses are RGP lenses, they usually last long before you replace them. This helps counter their initial high cost due to their fitting, customizing, and larger diameter. The custom fit also plays a crucial role in how comfortable the lenses are when you wear them.
Easy to Remove
Because they are more prominent in diameter and rigid, they are much easier to remove since they do not squirm around in the eye when you touch them. You are also less likely to touch your cornea when removing them, causing less damage.
For more on the benefits of scleral lenses for people with keratoconus, visit Dr. Veronica Ramsarat OD at our office in New York, New York. Call (833) 255-0096 to book an appointment today.
