Scleral Lenses

Large rigid contact lenses that vault over the cornea

Overview

Scleral lenses are large diameter rigid gas permeable contact lenses that rest on the white of the eye, the sclera, and arch over the entire cornea without touching it. The space between the lens and the cornea is filled with fluid, creating a smooth optical surface and a protective reservoir. They are used for irregular corneas, such as in keratoconus or after corneal transplant or injury, and for severe ocular surface disease, including dry eye from graft versus host disease and Stevens Johnson syndrome. Modern gas permeable materials revived them, as early scleral lenses made of glass and later PMMA did not transmit oxygen.