Everything You Need To Know About Scleral And Specialty Lenses

Everything You Need To Know About Scleral And Specialty Lenses

Dec 01, 2021

The eyes are the major organs of sight. They help transform light into nerve impulses, these impulses are transmitted to the brain by the optic nerve, and it returns as an image, thereby producing sight.

The eyes possess a thin movable tissue that is made of skin and muscle. It shields and protects the eyeballs from injury, helps to keep the eyes clean, and provides moisture essential for the normal functioning of the conjunctiva and cornea, which are parts of the eye.

The presence of the eyelids regardless, the eyes can still develop corneal conditions, dryness, and other eye issues that can affect vision negatively.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses Can Treat Many Eye Problems

Eyeglasses and contact lenses help you to see clearly if you have trouble seeing either at a close or a far distance. They also improve how clearly and sharply you see objects at a distance.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses help correct blurry/hazy vision, squinting eyes, double vision, etc. Eyeglasses and contact lenses perform the same functions. The only difference between both corrective appliances is that while eyeglasses sit approximately twelve millimeters from your eyes, contact lenses rest directly on the surface of your eyes. Thus, you would need separate prescriptions for contact lenses and eyeglasses
Wearing standard contact lenses and eyeglasses might, however, not help you to achieve the visual acuity and comfort you aim for.

That might be because regular eyeglasses and contact lenses cannot correct your eye defect. At this point, you might need to opt for Scleral lenses and Specialty lenses in Vaughan, ON.

Specialty lenses are contact lenses that are custom designed for the unique shape of each cornea. Earlier, scleral lenses were classified as a type of specialty contact lens. Unlike regular contact lenses, a scleral contact lens is larger in diameter, and it sits on the white of the eye (known as the sclera) rather than on the corneal surface itself.

Other types of specialty lenses include:

  • Cosmetic Lenses: This type of lens is for a range of different cosmetic purposes. It can change the color of the eye, hide injuries, hide disfigurements of the eyes, etc.
  • Rigid gas permeable lenses: RGP lenses are designed differently from traditional lenses. They provide sharper vision correction, offer bifocal or multifocal design options, are more durable, they are better at correcting particular eye conditions.
  • Orthokeratology lenses: This type of specialty contact lens helps to gently reshape the cornea at night, thereby providing clear daytime vision for people struggling with eye defects such as astigmatism, myopia, or hyperopia.

To determine if any of these lenses are suitable for you, you need to go to a clinic that offers eye care near you.

Problems Commonly Treated with Scleral Lenses

However, if you feel scleral lenses and specialty lenses are the solution to your eye defects, you should check out the problems that are commonly treated with scleral lenses:

  • Dry Eye Syndrome: Dry eye syndrome is a situation that occurs when tears can’t provide adequate moisture. It can be a result of hormone changes, inflamed eyelid glands, autoimmune disease, etc. Scleral lenses help to keep the eyes hydrated because they leave a reservoir of fluid between the lens and the ocular surface.
  • Eye trauma caused by chemicals or burns: There can be damage to the corneal surface resulting in scarring, pain, astigmatism, etc., caused by eye injuries from chemicals or burns.
  • Scleral lenses: help to provide clearer vision and protect the eyes from further harm by hydrating them while allowing them to heal as best as possible.
  • Corneal transplant complications: Failure of corneal transplants is quite common. There is a risk of irritation to the new tissue, excessive strain on the new cornea, etc. However, scleral lenses help to provide more protection for the eyes. That gives corneal grafts a better chance of success.
  • Other eye problems: fixed with scleral lenses include Keratoconus/Post-surgical ectasia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), etc. Speak to an eye doctor to see if specialty lenses might be your best chance at treating your eye defect.

If you are looking for Scleral Lenses & Specialty Lenses in Vaughan, ON, call or book an appointment with Dr. Allyson Tang Optometrist, Vaughan today!

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