Do you wear soft contact lenses to correct your astigmatism? If so, do you have to blink frequently or manually manipulate them into position in order to get good vision? Maybe you’ve been told you cannot wear contact lenses because you have a high amount of astigmatism? If so, you may be a good candidate for scleral lenses.

First, what is astigmatism? For the most part, the shape of the cornea determines whether you have astigmatism, or are simply near-sighted or far-sighted. A person who has a steep round cornea tends to be near-sighted, while a person who has a flat round cornea tends to be far-sighted. An irregular cornea that has both steeper and flatter areas tends to result in astigmatism. It is this irregular surface on the cornea that can make obtaining clear consistent vision with a soft contact lens difficult.

Most people do well with soft lenses that correct for astigmatism. However, if you are unhappy with your vision, or if your vision is inconsistent with your current lenses, scleral lenses may be an excellent option for you. Unlike soft lenses, scleral lenses do not actually rest on the corneal surface of your eye. Instead, the lens vaults your cornea and the edges rest on the white part of your eye (the sclera). In between the scleral lens and your cornea is a fluid layer of non-preserved saline. This fluid layer smooths out the irregular surface of the cornea. The end result is clear consistent and comfortable vision!

More and more practitioners are fitting scleral lenses on patients with irregular corneas. Other indications for scleral lenses may include dry eyes, corneal scarring, post-LASIK complications, or any other disease or disorder that can affect the corneal surface. For more information on scleral lenses, or if you would like to know whether you are a good candidate for these lenses, give us a call!