I Wear Scleral Contact Lenses For Keratoconus
I wear scleral contact lenses for keratoconus. August of 2017 was when I received my first pair of scleral lenses.
I’d like to share my thoughts on the pros and cons of choosing scleral lenses.
This is from the perspective of someone who was diagnosed with keratoconus and wears scleral contact lenses for keratoconus every day for 10 plus hours most days.
In addition I will then go into greater detail into each pro and con.
Pros
- Comfort – One of the biggest pros in my opinion.
- Vision – With my lenses I can see 20/20.
- Long Lasting – I have had my pair for 4 years.
Cons
- Doctor Experience – Finding an experienced fitter can be hard.
- Follow up – It could take several follow up visits to get the right fit.
- Expense – Scleral lenses can be expensive.
- Learning curve – It will take some time to get use to inserting and removing our lenses.
Pros of Wearing Scleral Contact Lenses for Keratoconus
Comfort
The comfort of my scleral lenses are excellent. I wear my lenses for 10-13 hours, sometimes even longer. Some days I might have to remove my contacts just to refresh them. This consists of taking my lenses out, cleaning them and reinserting them with clean fluid.
Unlike other contact lenses that sit on the cornea. Scleral lenses vault over the cornea. The lens does not come in contact with the sensitive cornea. Instead, the lens sits on the less sensitive sclera. The white part of our eye.
Vision
When wearing my contacts, my vision is 20/20. However, without my contacts, I can’t read a single line on the eye chart. Before I got my scleral contact lenses for keratoconus I had to stop driving at night.
Eventually I would have had to stop driving during the day as well. As a result of wearing scleral contact lenses for keratoconus , I can drive daytime or nighttime with no problems.
Long Lasting
Sclerals can last for years if they are well taken care of. I have had mine for 4 years.
The material they are made from is quite durable. Having said that, they will crack if we apply to much pressure when cleaning our lenses.
Better Fit
Customization of lenses is one of main reason the fit is better than other types of contacts. Understanding what keratoconus is, we know that the irregular surface of our cornea is what makes fitting lenses so difficult.
A better fit also means our scleral lenses won’t fall out. As I mentioned earlier, I have had my lenses for 4 years and they have never fallen out once.
Lenses can be customized to address each individual case.
Cons of Wearing Scleral Contact Lenses for Keratoconus
Doctor Experience
Comfort of our lenses relies heavily on how talented and experienced our practitioner is at fitting. How many have they done? What kind of software are they using to map our eye? How good are they at using the software? As with many things with keratoconus, these factors are out of our control.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask questions concerning the experience level of our practitioner.
Moreover, it can be hard to find a doctor with experience who can do a proper fitting in our area so some research might have to be done on our part.
Follow Up
Follow up appointments can be an important part of getting the proper fit. This will determine how useful our scleral contact lenses for keratoconus will be for us.
If our lens is even slightly mis measured it will be uncomfortable. For this reason and for how complex the mapping of the eye can be, we can expect a few follow ups before we get the right fit.
Further, even after a good fit the condition of our cornea could change over time. Another fitting could be necessary. This is normal.
Expense
The expense of our lenses is dependant on the kind of our lenses. Whether or not we have insurance. Where we live. These lenses can be expensive. Anywhere from $800 to $7000.
In addition, there will also be recurring expenses for as long as we use our lenses. Such as solutions to clean and store our lenses, applicators to help insert our lenses. Just something to keep in mind. But this common with any type of contact lens.
Therefore, we want to make sure to take proper care of our lenses so they can last for a few years.
Learning Curve
Our doctor will not only show us how to care for our lenses, but also, how to insert and remove them. It will take some time to be able to consistently insert and remove them properly, therefore some patience might be required.
Most common problems are not placing the lens directly in the middle of the eye which can lead to fogging, and bubbles.
We will get better at it the more we do it. When we first get or lenses because of the learning curve, we might need to plan ahead.
Just to give us some extra time to make sure we get to our appointments, school, work, etc on time.
I Still Wear Scleral Contacts Lenses for Keratoconus
In my case, the pros of wearing scleral contacts lenses for keratoconus outweigh the cons by a mile. I don’t know where I would be without them. I mean that literally.
It’s important that if you and your practitioner decide that scleral lenses are the best option, you continue with follow up appointments at least once a year even we get a proper fit. or as prescribed by your doctor.
We want to make sure that our eye health is monitored by our professional.
Conclusion
Wearing scleral contact lenses for keratoconus might not be for everyone. For my story, these lenses have been a life changer. I could not function without them. If you suffer from keratoconus scleral lenses might be an option for you as well.
Talk to your practitioner today to find out if it’s a option for you.