Top 6 Awesome Reasons For Wearing Sclera Contact Lenses

Dry eye syndrome affects nearly 5 million Americans over the age of 50. These patients report dry, itchy, irritated, and occasionally painful eyes. Eye drops and artificial tears can provide relief, but they are only a temporary fix. Furthermore, because artificial tears containing preservatives can only be used up to four times per day, some people find that this method does not provide enough relief. As a result, many patients who suffer from chronic dry eye eventually seek alternative treatments.

Scleral contact lenses are one option for treating dry eyes. Although scleral contact lenses are typically used to treat corneal irregularities and refractive errors, they can also provide significant relief for people suffering from dry eye. Here are six of the reasons why.

1. They Are Less Irritant To The Cornea Than Other Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are frequently not an option for patients who require vision correction but also suffer from dry eyes. Standard soft lenses rest on the cornea, which can be extremely irritating for people who suffer from dry eyes. They also absorb moisture from the surface of attention, similar to a sponge. These factors make wearing standard colored contact lenses nearly unbearable for dry eye patients. Scleral toric lenses, on the other hand, rest on the sclera and arch over the cornea. The lens makes no contact with the corneal surface, reducing irritation.

2. They Are Intended To Keep The Eyes Hydrated At All Times

Saline is stuffed into the space between the corneal surface and the scleral lens. This solution acts as a continuous source of hydration and provides patients with dry eyes with unparalleled relief. Artificial tears, which are also antibiotics, are typically added to the bowl prior to lens insertion to help lubricate the ocular surface and promote healing.

3. They Shield The Cornea

Dry eyes make the eyes more sensitive, making the cornea more susceptible to damage. Even simple blinking can irritate the eye or potentially injure the cornea due to mechanical friction between the eyelid and the cornea. A scleral lens protects the patient's eye from the eyelid/external environment. This shield guards the eye against further irritation or damage.

4. They Enable The Focus To Regain A Healthier Appearance

Patients with dry eyes frequently have very red, congested, and unhealthy-looking eyes. The condition itself is part of the problem, but the opposite problem is that the eye is constantly irritated or further injured by blinking and/or dehydration. The scleral lens shields the eye from the outside world and acts as a constant source of hydration, playing a therapeutic role in assisting the attention to heal or remain healthy. As a result, the eye will retain a healthier appearance.

5. Patients Who Wear Glasses Can Continue To Use Eye Drops And Artificial Tears

Patients can continue to use preservative-free eye drops or artificial tears to lubricate their eyes while wearing color contact lenses. There is no "either/or" choice between scleral lenses and eye drops. Many patients may discover that once they begin wearing scleral lenses, they need to use artificial tears less frequently, or they only need to use eye drops after removing the lenses in the dark for a day.

6. Scleral Contact Lenses Can Significantly Improve One's Quality Of Life

Patients with dry eyes experience pain, discomfort, eye fatigue, and confidence issues as a result of severe eye redness, among other things. Scleral lenses directly benefit these patients in three ways: they correct vision, protect concentration, and promote healing by lubricating concentration. These factors can make a difference in the lives of dry eye patients. They can reduce the need for pain and/or discomfort, eye redness, repeated scratching of the eye, or the use of eye drops while still providing clear vision.

If you suffer from dry eye syndrome and want a less invasive treatment option than eye drops and artificial tears, talk to your ophthalmologist about scleral lenses.