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Can Scleral Lenses Help Dry Eye?

December 15 2022

There is nothing worse than dry eye discomfort — especially if you wear regular contact lenses. Dry eye symptoms can severely affect the quality of your daily life, and even cause more serious problems down the road when left untreated. The good news is scleral contact lenses can help!

Read on as a Lake Stevens, WA optometrist talks about dry eye syndrome, what causes it, and how scleral contact lenses work to relieve dry eye symptoms.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Dry eye syndrome is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. The symptoms of dry eyes include: 

  • Eye pain
  • Burning
  • Itching
  • Redness
  • Crustiness in the corners of the eyes
  • Excessive watering
  • Sensitivity to light

Dry eyes are caused by inadequate tears. Tears are made up of three layers: oil, water, and mucus. When one layer is lacking, the other two must compensate to keep tears balanced and healthy. If there is not enough oil in tears (as would be the case with dry eyes), then they become sticky and thick—which leads to more irritation when they evaporate off the surface of the eye.

How Do Scleral Contact Lenses Work?

Scleral contacts are highly breathable, rigid, gas-permeable lenses that fit over the entire eye. They’re much larger than traditional hard contact lenses, which only cover part of the cornea.

This large diameter also creates a reservoir area between your eye and the lens, which conserves your tears and thereby prevents dryness from developing.

The larger diameter of Scleral contact lenses also makes for a more comfortable fit since the lens itself sits on the sclera (the white part of your eye) and not the cornea. 

What Other Eye Conditions Can Scleral Contact Lenses Treat?

Scleral contact lenses can treat other eye conditions besides dry eyes.

Scleral lenses have been used for decades to treat a wide range of conditions and symptoms, from corneal abrasions to keratoconus and beyond.

Here are some of the most common cases where scleral contact lenses have shown success:

  • Corneal abrasions
  • Keratoconus
  • Post-LASIK complications (including haze, halos, glare)
  • Dry eyes
  • Astigmatism 
  • Post-cataract surgery complications (including haze, halos, glare)  

In fact, scleral contact lenses are not just better than regular soft contacts—they’re also safer. Here are a few key benefits: 

  • More oxygen to your eyes 
  • A more comfortable fit due to their larger size
  • A longer lifespan compared to soft contacts (because they don’t have to be replaced as often)  
  • Better protection from UV light and dust  

As you can see, scleral contact lenses are an excellent alternative for people who suffer from dry eyes or other conditions that make regular soft contacts uncomfortable. If you have more questions or wish to schedule a consultation, please don’t hesitate to call our Lake Stevens, WA optometry office today!

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