What are scleral contact lenses?
Scleral contact lenses are large, gas-permeable lenses designed to fit over the entire cornea. They are designed for patients who have had corneal transplants, keratoconus, or severe dry eye.
Scleral lenses are custom fit for each wearer, based on their eye shape and the condition they are addressing. You will need an appointment with a CEENTA optometrist for a fitting after your initial diagnosis.
Scleral lenses address surface irregularities and will improve vision, but some patients still require glasses to see completely clearly.
Call 704-295-3000 to schedule a scleral contact lens appointment
Scleral contact lens handle and care
Scleral lenses are custom-made for patients' unique visual issues. Proper care and cleaning is important.
INSERTION INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash your hands.
2. Rinse the lens with preservative-free saline (Purilens, Addipak, Lacri Pure, or ScleralFil or NutriFill) before applying the lens.
3. Center the lens on the large plunger and fill the lens withpreservative free saline until you see a convex layer of fluid. It will look like it is going to overflow.
4. Look straight down into the scleral contact lens through the hole in the bottom of the plunger.
5. Lean forward with your head your head down and tuck your chin to your chest, making sure your face is parallel to the counter/table and open eyelids as wide as needed.
6. When you feel the cold liquid KEEP PUSHING until you feel a little pressure.
7. Lens should feel comfortable and the vision should be clear. If it is not, you may have a bubble, you can use a small flashlight to look for a bubble.
REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS
Since the scleral lens is large, the capillary forces which hold the lens on the eye are powerful. Removal is always best done by lifting the edge to eliminate this force. Attempting to pull the lens from the center will create negative pressure and will rarely be successful.
1. Moisten the plunger and your eye(s) with several drops of preservative free saline solution.
2. Place the small skinny plunger on the lens at the temporal EDGE so that the plunger is just inside the edge of the lens.
3. Lift the EDGE of the lens and remove the lens from the eye.
4. Once you remove lens from eye it may stick to the plunger. DO NOT pull or pop off the skinny plunger or you may damage the lens.
5. Hold the attached lens with one hand and the skinny plunger with the other hand and gently twist and slide the skinny plunger up and off the contact lens.
6.If lens is tugging and not coming out easily do not panic, it means your eye is not wet enough to break suction, just use more preservative free saline in your eye.
SCLERAL LENS CLEANER/DISINFECTING
Soak your lenses in Clear Care every night to clean and disinfect your scleral lenses.
Do not wear your scleral lenses while you sleep. They can be worn in the shower, but should not be worn while swimming.
Clear Care Triple Action Cleaning:
Fill vial container with fresh solution to line every night.
- Let lenses soak for a minimum of 6 hours to over-night.
- Pour out solution and let case air dry in the morning.
- Note:Lenses cannot be removed before 6 hours. Vial/case must be changed after 90 uses.
- Can be purchased at most drugstores or online
Filling: Preservative Free Saline Solution
Rinse and FILL scleral lenses with preservative-free saline vials. Once opened the saline must be used or thrown away, do not save for later use.
Preservative-free saline vials:
Addipak: www.exmed.net or www.vitalitymedical.com
Lacri Pure: www.meniconamerica.com
ScleralFil: www.bausch.com
Nutrifill: www.nutrifill.com
Purilens: Purilens.com.com
Purilens
- Purilens is a preservative free saline bottle that may be used only for rinsing lenses.
- Once bottle is opened it needs to be discarded after 15 days of opening.
- DO NOT USE TO FILL LENSES
Preservative Free Tears
Use only preservative free Artificial tears with scleral contact lenses. DO NOT USE BOTTLED DROPS. TheraTears, preservative-free Refresh plus, or preservative-free Systane Ultra are good options.
- Must be in single use vials only. Do not use bottled artificial tears.
- May be used over scleral lenses for lubrication.
- May be used to fill lenses along with preservative free saline for extra lubrication.
- May be purchased in drugstores or amazon.
Backup Solution
Use the backup solution when you don’t have the six hours needed to disinfect and clean your lenses in ClearCare. The backup solution should also be used when you need to temporarily remove and store your scleral lenses, such as taking a nap, showering, swimming, etc. It is recommended that you place your scleral lenses in your backup solution. Do not place in saline or tap water.
- Lenses MUST be RINSED OFF with preservative free saline prior to insertion.
- Lenses require a minimum of 4 hours of soaking to completely disinfect if using it in the place of Clear Care.
Recommended backup solutions:
- Tangible Clean
- Unique PH
- Boston Simplus
Scleral contact lenses in Charlotte, NC
Call 704-295-3000 to schedule a scleral contact lens appointment
