Scleral Lenses in Buffalo and Rochester, NY
Scleral lenses are one of the most unique types of specialty contact lenses, and as a result, they’re especially valuable for certain patients. In fact, patients who are unable to wear any other types of contact lenses may be able to benefit from scleral lenses. If you have severe dry eye or irregular corneas, scleral lenses may be for you!
In many of our member practices, we have scleral lens specialists who can customize specialized solutions to your eyes for clearer, healthier vision. Not all services are offered at every location, so call your preferred office ahead of time to find out what they can do for you.
What Are Scleral Lenses?
The best way to explain what makes scleral lenses special is to understand how other contact lenses work. Most contacts make direct contact with the cornea, the clear, front of your eye that helps focus vision.
- Soft contacts, the most commonly used type, are flexible lenses that rest on the cornea.
- Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses are lenses with fixed shapes that curve above the cornea, with space between them and the eye’s surface, but many types of RGP lenses still rest on the cornea.
Scleral lenses are generally the largest type of RGP lens, and vault completely over the cornea. They instead rest on the sclera, more commonly known as the “whites” of your eyes.
Why Are Scleral Lenses A Great Option?
While soft contacts have become incredibly popular for their convenience and ease of use, many patients may not be able to wear them. For many of these “hard to fit” patients, scleral lenses offer a number of unique benefits.
Scleral lenses are often a great fit for patients who can’t wear any other contacts because of misshapen, sick, or sensitive corneas.
Better Breathability
Their material allows more oxygen to reach the surface of the eye than with standard lenses.
Improved Hydration
They maintain a tear reservoir between the contact and the cornea.
Easy to Wear
Their fixed shape and larger size makes them easier to put in and keep in place.
Improved Vision Quality
Fixed-shape lenses can provide sharper vision correction.
Trusted Optometrists in Your Neighborhood
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Buffalo Optical Patient
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If you have one of the following conditions, you may benefit from scleral lenses:
- Dry eye and other ocular surface diseases
- Keratoconus
- Severe astigmatism
- Other corneal issues such as dystrophies, ulcers, and injuries
Scleral Lens Specialists in Buffalo and Rochester, NY
Because your scleral lenses have to correct for your specific vision and rest comfortably on your sclera, they have to be custom made and fit. We’re proud to say that many of the optometrists in the Your Local Eye Doctor Network have extensive experience fitting scleral lenses and providing optimal vision quality for their patients.
If you’ve been told that you’re not a candidate for contact lenses in the past, scleral lenses may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Call your preferred provider to learn more about scleral lenses and whether they’re right for you!