What is the advantage of scleral lenses?

Scleral lenses have a much larger diameter and rest on the sclera (the white part of the eye); they do not touch the delicate, cone-shaped corneal tissue at any point. They provide exceptional comfort, corneal protection, and excellent visual quality even in the most advanced cases.

keratoconus

Vision Rehabilitation: Specialty Contact Lenses

After the progression of keratoconus has been halted, specialty contact lenses are used to improve visual quality. These lenses mask corneal irregularities to provide sharp vision (RGP, scleral, and hybrid lenses).

Prof. Dr. Efekan Coşkunseven

Ophthalmology · Istanbul

{ AI · preliminary guidance }

online

Let's talk about keratoconus

Your situation

What you're wondering

AI Assistant

AI responses do not replace a medical diagnosis.

Quick Answer

In vision rehabilitation, rigid gas-permeable (RGP), scleral, and hybrid lenses provide sharp vision by masking the cornea's irregular surface. They are used to maximize visual quality once the disease has been halted or has already become stable.

What Is Vision Rehabilitation?

In keratoconus treatment, once the progression of the disease has been halted, specialty contact lenses are used to improve visual quality. These lenses mask the cornea’s irregularities to provide sharp vision.

For patients whose disease progression has been halted with cross-linking, or in stable cases where progression has already stopped, the primary goal is to improve visual quality.

Rigid Gas-Permeable (RGP) Lenses

How it works: It sits stably over the cornea’s irregular surface; the “tear lens” that forms between them creates a smooth optical surface.
Advantage: Provides high visual quality.
Challenge: Comfort is lower due to its rigid structure; centering can be difficult in severely cone-shaped corneas.

Scleral Lenses

Structure: Has a much larger diameter; rests on the sclera (the white part of the eye).
Critical feature: Does not touch the delicate, cone-shaped corneal tissue at any point.
Advantages: Exceptional comfort, corneal protection, and excellent visual quality even in the most advanced cases.

Hybrid Lenses

Design: A rigid gas-permeable center with a soft lens skirt.
Purpose: To combine the optical quality of RGP with the comfort of a soft lens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which patients is it suitable for?

For patients whose disease progression has been halted with cross-linking, or in stable cases where progression has already stopped, the primary goal is to improve visual quality.
What is the advantage of scleral lenses?

Scleral lenses have a much larger diameter and rest on the sclera (the white part of the eye); they do not touch the delicate, cone-shaped corneal tissue at any point. They provide exceptional comfort, corneal protection, and excellent visual quality even in the most advanced cases.