What are scleral lenses?
Scleral lenses make it possible for many people to wear contacts for the first time and they have many advantages for normal contact lens wearers as well.
A scleral lens is a larger lens that rests on the sclera or white of the eye, rather than the colored portion (or iris). The lens, which covers a larger area creates a pocket filled with artificial tears, fitting securely around the eye. Due to their size scleral lenses provide sharper vision, greater durability, easier handling and a lower risk for complications.
Scleral lenses are a replacement for the irregular surface of the cornea with a perfectly formed optical surface, to ensure a perfectly clear vision that wouldn’t be possible from eyeglasses or any other type of vision solution. This extra area also allows the lens to be a liquid reservoir to provide extra comfort for those who otherwise may have comfort issues with regular contact lenses.
How Much Do Scleral Lenses Cost?
Because of the increased amount of time that is required to obtain a corneal topography and customize a scleral lens that works best and is most comfortable for your eyes, as well as the larger material cost to produce, scleral lenses can be significantly more expensive than traditional gas permeable and soft contact lenses.
Despite this, scleral lenses still remain the most comfortable and, in many cases, only way, to obtain comfortable, accurate vision for those suffering from severe dry eye, keratoconus and other similar eye conditions.