Yesterday we fit a patient with a scleral contact lens. Scleral contact lenses are used for patients with irregular corneas, diseased corneas or post surgical corneas. The cornea is the clear window of the eye.
A scleral lens works by vaulting or clearing the cornea completely and landing or touching down on the white part of the eye, which is called teh sclera. A nice layer of tears fills the space between the cornea and the lens producing a even optical surface.
Essentially you are taking a very rough irregular surface and making it into a perfectly smooth – curved surface. If all goes well the vision is excellent as it was in this case.
The image of patient PT below shows the contact lens clearing or vaulting over the cornea.
The image of patient PT below shows the contact lens landing on the white part of the eye.
