Many people prefer wearing contact lenses over eyeglasses for many reasons. Contacts give you a more natural look, they don’t obstruct your view, and they are perfect when playing a sport. However, certain conditions of the eye can make it difficult to wear soft lenses. If you suffer from keratoconus or dry eye, then scleral contact lenses might be right for you. Here at Summit Eyecare, our optometrist can fit you with the right contact lenses for your needs.

The Difference between Traditional Soft Lenses and Scleral Lenses

The difference between traditional soft contact lenses and scleral lenses is that soft lenses sit right on your cornea while scleral lenses rest on the white of your eye, also known as the sclera. The prescription portion of the scleral lens doesn't touch your cornea at all. Instead, it vaults over the cornea.

Conditions That Can Be Treated With Scleral Contact Lenses

There are a few conditions where scleral lenses are the preferred contact lens choice. These include:

Keratoconus: This condition occurs when your cornea is not strong enough to hold its round shape and bulges into a cone shape. A bulging cornea can make it tough to wear traditional lenses. Scleral contacts are more comfortable to wear if you have this refractive error.

Dry eye syndrome: Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes don't produce enough natural tears. It can also happen if the tears that you do produce are of poor quality. Traditional soft contacts tend to absorb your tears and dry your eyes out quickly. Since scleral lenses don't sit on the cornea, they won't dry out your eyes.

Astigmatism: This condition occurs when an irregularly shaped lens causes blurry or distorted vision. In the most severe form possible and can cause numerous reading problems, headaches, and other vision deficits. The irregular shape may prevent you from wearing traditional contacts, but scleral lenses can adjust to the shape of your eye.

How Much Do Scleral Contacts Cost?

Scleral contact lenses are complex lenses that are highly customized. Because of this, they are typically more expensive than traditional soft contacts. The price of this treatment varies depending on your needs.

See Better with Scleral Contact Lenses

Call Summit Eyecare today for more information on scleral contact lenses or to schedule an appointment with our eye doctor.