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Do Scleral Contact Lenses Work for Dry Eye?

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A young woman placing a contact lens onto her left eye

Dry eye disease affects millions of Americans and can cause your eyes to become inflamed, sore, and red, making it difficult to go about your everyday life. If you wear contact lenses, dry eye can make it difficult and uncomfortable to continually use them. 

If you have trouble wearing your contacts due to dry eye, there is still hope. There are many contact lens designs helpful for those affected by dry eye. During a consultation, your eye doctor may mention scleral contacts to you as they may help your dry eye. 

Continue reading to learn more about scleral contact lenses and how they can help with your dry eye symptoms. 

What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye occurs when your tears cannot properly moisturize your eyes. It is a common condition typically caused by tear instability. Inadequate tears and moisture can lead to inflammation and damage to the eye’s surface.

An issue within the tear film causes dry eye if not enough tears are produced or if tears evaporate too quickly. The tear film is made of three layers: oil, aqueous fluid, and mucin. 

The tear film helps keep your eyes moist and clear, but when it is affected, it can cause problems that can affect your quality of life. The main causes of dry eye are a decrease in tear production and an increase in tear evaporation. 

Decreased tear production 

Tear production typically begins to lessen with age. Other factors in a lack of tear production can include certain medical conditions such as lupus, Sjorgren’s syndrome, or scleroderma, among others. Side effects from medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants can contribute to decreased tear production as well. 

When you do not produce enough tears, you may experience pained, red eyes. This cause of dry eye only accounts for roughly 10% of dry eye cases

Increased tear evaporation

Dry eye can also be caused by an increase in tear evaporation, typically caused by poor quality. When your tears are dragged across your eyes, the oily layer of the tear film helps protect the aqueous fluid from evaporating. If this oil (meibum) is affected, your tears can evaporate too quickly and cause inflammation and discomfort. 

This meibum can be affected by several factors such as meibomian gland dysfunction, infrequent blinking, or environmental factors such as wind and smoke. Some of the common causes of tear evaporation can include: 

If you suffer from dry eye, contacts may become uncomfortable to wear. Because they sit on your eyes, contact lenses can become irritating to wear when your eyes become dried out and inflamed. However, there are contact lenses suited for dry eye patients, and scleral contacts can provide your eyes with consistent moisture. 

What are Scleral Contact Lenses?

Scleral contact lenses are large-diameter lens designed to cover the entire corneal surface and rest on the sclera (white of your eye). This can transform an irregular cornea into a smooth optical surface which is useful for correcting vision problems caused by corneal irregularities. You may be recommended scleral contact lenses if you are affected by the following: 

Besides the lenses vaulting over the corneal surface, they also create a reservoir between the cornea and back of the lens. This reservoir contains fluid and provides comfort for people suffering from dry eye. This is great in principle, but do scleral contact lenses work for dry eye? 

A scleral contact lens resting on a patient's eye

Scleral Contact Lenses & Dry Eye

Scleral contacts are typically recommended after more traditional dry eye treatments have been attempted. It is important to know these lenses will not cure your dry eye symptoms but can offer consistent moisture to your eyes, providing relief. The larger-diameter lens covers the entire corneal surface which can protect it from potential irritants such as smoke, wind, and dust. 

Studies have found alternative treatments such as scleral contact lenses can be well tolerated and provide relief of symptoms when a patient’s dry eye is severe and difficult to manage. Other studies found a large number of subjects were satisfied with the effectiveness of scleral contact lenses, and they helped increase comfort, decrease the need for eye drops, and improve visual acuity

While scleral contact lenses will not fix all of your problems, they can be effective in relieving symptoms for patients suffering from chronic dry eye disease. If you are affected by dry eye, speak with your optometrist about potential treatments

Find Your Relief 

Dry eye can cause significant irritation and discomfort for your eyes, and leaving this condition untreated can affect your quality of life. There are many treatments available for dry eye, and scleral contacts are just one option out of many. If you are suffering from dry eye, or are interested in scleral contact lenses, book an appointment with your optometrist. 

Written by Dr. Megan Baldwin

As a Kansas native (born and raised in Kingman), Dr. Baldwin is thrilled to practice what she loves so close to home. She can’t imagine anything better than to care for her community and build strong ties with new friends and colleagues.

When She’s not in the office caring for her patients, Dr. Baldwin enjoys making memories with her husband, Aaron, and two sweet kids, Parker and Stella! You’ll often find her playing piano, hosting her friends and family in her home, or out for a run. Dr. Baldwin and her husband enjoy traveling to warm places and recently became open-water scuba diver certified!

She chose eye care as her career because Dr. Baldwin has always wanted to help people. The quality of care she provides is incredibly important to her. In an age where doctors spend just a few minutes with their patients, she is proud to give her patients the time and diligence they deserve. More than to simply “see” you, Dr. Baldwin wants to learn more about you and how she can best serve your needs. Your relationship matters.

Dr. Baldwin invites you to make an appointment for yourself or your children, whether you have an eye concern or are simply seeking an updated corrective lens prescription. She will always do her best to provide you the best eye care available anywhere in Wichita.

Professional Associations & Memberships

  • Member, Kansas Optometric Association (KOA)
  • Member, American Optometric Association (AOA)
  • Member, Business Networking International (BNI)

Education

  • Bachelor of Science (chemistry) – Bethel College, 2007
  • Doctor of Optometry – Northeastern State University, Oklahoma College of Optometry, 2011
    • Graduated Magna Cum Laude
    • Member of the Beta Sigma Kappa honor society
    • Presented with “Outstanding Clinician in Ocular Disease” award
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