Why Scleral Contacts Were Such a Gamechanger
For years, contact lenses didn’t fit everyone. The original design for contacts was a singular one for the biggest audience who could comfortably wear hard contacts. If a patient had an abnormal eye shape, he was out of luck. In many cases, contact lenses wouldn’t fit well, would cause irritation, and could potentially damage the eye’s surface. These situations made wearing contacts out of reach for many, such as those with astigmatism or similar eye conditions.
Scleral Lenses Created a Breakthrough
The design of the scleral lens immediately provided advantages that didn’t exist in earlier contacts. First, they were larger in diameter, covering more of the eye and thereby making the fit easier. Second, scleral lenses are gas permeable, which makes them a more comfortable fit and causing less irritation, especially with eye conditions that needed easier passage of moisture and air. Third, when worn, the scleral lens design actually has a gap between the lens and the eye so that it doesn’t touch the cornea. Instead, it sits on a bed of isotonic fluid, which fends off the effects of dry eye.
Additional Benefits
Scleral contacts are extremely stable from an optometry and patient perspective. Because of the larger resting points on the eye, these lenses stay put and the chance of them falling out is far lower than that of traditional contacts, even when compared to regular contacts on general shaped eyes.
The clarity of the scleral contacts is generally of higher quality when compared to normal contacts as well. Some would argue even better. Finally, for those with eye conditions that created more oblong eye shapes or bulging corneas, such as keratoconus, scleral lenses help block that progression and contribute by pushing the eye surface to its normal, appropriate curvature.
Scleral Contact Lenses and Assistance near Los Angeles, CA
Orange County Vision Center has been a long-standing provider of scleral contacts for patients who need them. Because of our experience and range of contact lenses, we're able to provide both eye exams for measurement as well as prescription and fulfillment of scleral lenses in the same location. Our optometrist and team provide a ready solution for troublesome contact challenges, and we're available for all ages. Call us today to schedule an appointment with an optometrist near you. We handle patients from all over Los Angeles, CA, and we can help you too. Get started today with an eye exam and evaluation for scleral lenses!