Scleral Lenses vs. Regular Contacts: The Eye Care Secret for O'Fallon Patients with Astigmatism or Keratoconus

Contact lenses can provide clear, convenient vision, but standard soft contacts are not always the best match for every eye. For patients with keratoconus, irregular corneas, or certain types of astigmatism, achieving stable vision and comfortable wear can be more challenging.

At Tomasino Goerss Vision Source, we offer specialty contact lenses, including scleral lenses, for patients who need a more customized approach to vision correction. For some O'Fallon patients, these lenses can provide clearer and more consistent vision when regular contacts fall short.

How Are Scleral Lenses Different From Regular Contacts?

Regular soft contact lenses sit directly on the cornea and move slightly with each blink. They work well for many common prescriptions, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and regular astigmatism.

Scleral lenses have a different design. They are larger than traditional contacts and vault over the cornea rather than resting directly on it. Instead, the lens rests on the sclera, which is the white portion of the eye. The space between the lens and cornea is filled with preservative-free saline, creating a smooth optical surface over the eye.

This design can make scleral lenses particularly useful when the natural cornea has an irregular shape.

Why Keratoconus Can Make Regular Contacts Difficult

Keratoconus causes the cornea to become thinner and develop a more cone-like shape. Because the corneal surface becomes irregular, glasses or standard soft contact lenses may not fully correct the resulting distorted or blurred vision.

Scleral lenses vault over the irregular cornea and create a more uniform surface for light to pass through. This can improve visual clarity without placing the lens directly on the sensitive or uneven area of the cornea.

Patients with keratoconus may notice problems such as:
 

• Blurry or distorted vision that changes frequently

• Difficulty seeing clearly with glasses

• Glare or halos, especially at night

• Frequent prescription changes

• Poor comfort or unstable vision with traditional contacts

A specialty contact lens evaluation can help determine whether scleral lenses are appropriate based on the shape and health of the cornea.

What About Scleral Lenses for Astigmatism?

Many people with regular astigmatism do well with toric soft contact lenses. However, more complex or irregular astigmatism can make achieving consistently sharp vision more difficult.

Because scleral lenses maintain a stable position on the eye and create a smooth optical surface over the cornea, they may provide clearer vision for patients whose astigmatism is related to an irregular corneal shape. They can also be considered when standard lenses rotate, shift, or do not provide satisfactory vision.

Comfort Can Be Another Advantage

Although scleral lenses are larger than conventional contacts, their design can offer comfortable wear for many patients. Since the lens rests on the less sensitive sclera instead of directly on the cornea, it can remain stable throughout the day.

The fluid reservoir beneath the lens also keeps the corneal surface covered with moisture while the lens is worn. Each patient is different, so proper fitting and follow-up care are important for achieving the best combination of comfort, eye health, and vision.

If regular contacts are not giving you the clarity or comfort you need, schedule a specialty contact lens evaluation with Tomasino Goerss Vision Source in O'Fallon, MO at (636) 272-1444 to find out if scleral lenses could be the right fit for your eyes.