Pacific Eye Care Doctors of Optometry, Providing Scleral Lenses for Patients From Huntington Beach, California
Scleral lenses are traditionally used for patients with keratoconus and vision correction after eye surgery, but today, eye doctors utilize modern scleral lenses to treat many other eye conditions and disorders. Many of Dr. Walter Yim‘s patients who were previously unable to wear contact lenses or struggled with prescription eyeglasses can now experience comfortable, superior vision through scleral lenses.
What Are Scleral Lenses?
Scleral lenses are unique designed contact lenses, which are used to manage various eye diseases and visual conditions. These lenses hold artificial tears in a small area of the lens, like a tiny pool. The cornea coated with artificial tears remains moisturized for longer stretches of time than basic contact lenses.
Scleral lenses have a larger diameter than traditional lenses. This allows them to easily sit over a larger area of the eye without touching the cornea, ultimately increasing the patient’s comfort level. This can be helpful for patients who have had a corneal transplant since the cornea takes time to heal – up to one year – and is particularly sensitive during recovery time.
Because each patient’s vision, prescription needs, and corneal shape are different, scleral lenses are tailor-made for your specific case. Our scleral lens patients enjoy improved visual clarity and sharper focus.
Benefits Of Wearing Scleral Lenses
Scleral lenses from Pacific Eye Care Doctors of Optometry have many advantages over traditional lenses. Our patients enjoy wearing them for their:
- Comfort: Scleral lenses’ larger size and high-quality materials offer a greater level of comfort. The rigid materials allow for a round, smooth shape that gently sits over the eye and stay put, even with a lot of movement. Most patients can wear them comfortably for up to 14 hours.
- Consistency: Patients with irregular or misshapen corneas may find it difficult to wear soft contact lenses since they sit directly on the cornea. Sclerals reach over to the sclera (white part of the eye), avoiding the cornea completely.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Although scleral lenses usually cost more than basic soft lenses, they provide longer-term financial value. If your vision insurance plan includes contact lenses, the cost will be significantly reduced. Unlike traditional soft lenses, there is no need to continuously purchase lens solution and replacement lenses every few months. In the long run, it’s better value for your money.
- Durability: Scleral lenses’ rigid materials are breathable for proper air flow and long-lasting wear. Soft contact lenses, on the other hand, when overused, can lead to eye infections or worse!
- Sharper Vision: The smooth ocular surface functions as a replacement for the cornea, resulting in sharper, clearer vision. Like a camera focuses on the fine details of an image, sclerals give you improved visual acuity and sharp focus.
- Tailor-Made for YOU: No two patients are alike, and neither are the shapes of their eyes. Each person’s cornea has unique curves and contours. Those with corneal irregularities require a more unique, custom-fitting to ensure the best fit for visual clarity. To do so, Dr. Walter Yim will create a digital map of your cornea through a process called “corneal topography”. The doctor uses a computerized system to take exact measurements of the cornea. This process ensures that the scleral lenses will allow the right amount of light in, giving you superior vision.
