The Ultimate Guide to Scleral Lenses | 2019 Best of Nashville Optometrist

Scleral lenses are typically extremely comfortable and provide better vision correction than most surgeries, standard contact lenses, and glasses.

What are Scleral Lenses?

Scleral lenses are very large diameter gas-permeable lenses that hold their shape on the eye and create a chamber of tears that stay adhered to the ocular surface. Because of their size, they are typically extremely comfortable and provide better vision correction than most surgeries, standard contact lenses, and glasses.

Are Scleral Lenses right for me?

Scleral lenses may be an option for patients with more severe dry eye conditions such as:

ocular graft-versus host disease
Sjogren’s syndrome
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Meibomian gland dysfunction
Evaporative dry eye
Neurotrophic corneas
Exposure keratitis (with eyelid conditions, such as Bell’s Palsy)
Lacrimal gland problems
Ocular cicatricial pemphagoid

Scleral lenses may also be the best strategy for patients who need optimal optical correction. Irregular astigmatism is created in conditions such as:

Keratoconus
Pellucid marginal degeneration
Post- penetrating keratoplasty (corneal transplant surgery)
Post-radial keratectomy (RK surgery)
Post-LASIK ectasia
Post-trauma (such as open globe)
Salzmann nodular degeneration
Terrian’s maginal degeneration

Are Scleral Lenses right for me?

Scleral lenses may be an option for patients with more severe dry eye conditions such as:

ocular graft-versus host disease
Sjogren’s syndrome
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Meibomian gland dysfunction
Evaporative dry eye
Neurotrophic corneas
Exposure keratitis (with eyelid conditions, such as Bell’s Palsy)
Lacrimal gland problems
Ocular cicatricial pemphagoid

Scleral lenses may also be the best strategy for patients who need optimal optical correction. Irregular astigmatism is created in conditions such as:

Keratoconus
Pellucid marginal degeneration
Post- penetrating keratoplasty (corneal transplant surgery)
Post-radial keratectomy (RK surgery)
Post-LASIK ectasia
Post-trauma (such as open globe)
Salzmann nodular degeneration
Terrian’s maginal degeneration

scheleral lenses specialty contact lenses from dr sonsino

Our Process

We use two processes for designing the best scleral lenses for our patients. The first, is by using a trial lens as a model and then modifying all the curves necessary to align with the structures of the eye.

Advanced contact lenses at Optique are all evaluated using Optical Coherance Tomography (OCT). You can think of this as an MRI for the eye, but using light instead of magnets. It allows the doctors at Optique to take a side view of the contact lens on the eye as it sits in real time. With this technology, we can achieve better fits than without it.

The second is by starting with a mold (similar to orthodontic molding of teeth) cast of the eye. The mold is sent to a special laboratory be analyzed and transformed into a computer generated model of the eye. A scleral prosthetic is created from this model to the exact specifications of the individual eye. If you have failed with traditional scleral lenses, we invite you to discuss this technology with our staff.

Our Process

Our Commitment to Achieving the Best Results

The Contact Lens Center at Optique is one of one hundred practices in the world to have the ability to prescribe custom molded scleral prosthetics generated from computer aided design. Aside from the founder of the company, Dr. Sonsino is the top prescriber of Eye Print Prosthetics in the world. Patients travel from all over the country to see him. This technology is best for those who have failed with standard scleral lenses.

As creator and former director of the Scleral Lens Clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Jeffrey Sonsino has significant experience with the complexities of successfully fitting scleral lenses. For the past three years, he has presented lectures at the American Academy of Optometry educating other doctors on Troubleshooting Scleral Lenses. Dr. Sonsino is one of the country’s leading experts on scleral lenses and holds patents on scleral lens technology.

More Info

For more information on healthy contact lens wear and care, check out some tips that Dr. Sonsino’s committee in the American Optometric Association has produced with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.