Dos and Don’ts of Scleral Contact Lenses Wear

Scleral contact lenses are designed to rest on the sclera of your eye, creating a tear-filled dome over the cornea. They protects the corneal surface from irritation and are used to treat a variety of eye conditions, including graft-versus-host disease in the eye or, simply, ocular GVHD.

A trusted optometrist shares the dos and don’ts of scleral contact lenses wear in today’s post.

Dos:

1. Rinse and store your lenses properly. After removing your lenses, gently rub them for 20 seconds to remove debris and microorganisms from the surface. Then, rinse the lenses with a preservative-free filling solution for at least 10 seconds.
2. Observe good hygiene when applying your lenses. Make sure to wash and dry your hands before applying the lenses onto your eyes. Work with a clean and flat surface to prevent damage to the lenses should they accidentally fall out of your eyes.
3. Remove your lenses at the right time of day. The ideal time to remove your scleral lenses is one hour before bedtime. If your lenses fog up during the day and you feel like removing them, do so. If you feel pain or discomfort when wearing your contact lenses, visit your eye doctor for an eye exam.

Don’ts:

1. Don’t use the wrong products. You can abuse your scleral lenses by not using the saline solution recommended by your doctor. Avoid generic contact lens solutions and artificial tears as these products are not to remain in contact with your eyes all day.
2. Don’t sleep in your lenses. When you sleep, you are not blinking, which allows the debris flushed by your tears to accumulate on or around your lenses. This can lead to an infection or inflammatory reaction.
3. Don’t miss regular checkups. Optometrists recommend a scleral lens checkup every four to six months. If there are long delays between visits, your doctor will not be able to check on the health of your eyes and evaluate how they are changing.

Call (571) 520-4232 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment at Vienna Eyecare Center. Our skilled and personable staff is committed to providing you with the highest quality of vision products, such as eyeglasses and contact lenses, and a wide range of vision care services. We serve patients in Reston, Vienna and McLean, VA.