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Scleral lenses have revolutionized the management of irregular astigmatism caused by keratoconus. Unlike soft lenses that drape over the eye's irregularities, a scleral lens vaults over the cornea entirely. The space between the lens and the eye is filled with saline, creating a "liquid lens" that neutralizes the corneal surface distortions.
read more about scleral lens astigmatism ...Scleral lenses are capable of masking a massive range of astigmatism, typically from 1.00 diopter to over 10.00 diopters. Clinical data shows that scleral lenses can effectively neutralize irregular astigmatism that is uncorrectable by standard glasses. In patients with severe keratoconus, a scleral lens can mask up to 12.00D of "cylinder."
Statistics reveal that 86 percent of patients with irregular astigmatism achieve at least 3 lines of improvement on the Snellen eye chart when switching to scleral lenses. In a study of high-astigmatism cases, uncorrected vision improved from 20/100 to 20/25 on average. The "liquid lens" essentially deletes the corneal distortion.
No. Scleral lenses only mask "corneal" astigmatism. Data shows that approximately 15 percent of patients have "residual" or "internal" astigmatism caused by the lens inside their eye. In these cases, a "Front-Toric" scleral lens design is used to correct the internal error, with success rates over 90 percent.
Corneal transplants often leave the eye with very high, irregular astigmatism (often 6.00D+). Data indicates that 75 percent of post-transplant patients prefer scleral lenses over any other correction. The lenses have a 95 percent success rate in providing "stable" vision that does not rotate like standard Toric soft lenses.
In 2026, scleral lenses have overtaken standard Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) lenses in patient preference. While both mask astigmatism equally well, 90 percent of patients report superior comfort with scleral lenses. Because the lens rests on the white of the eye rather than the sensitive cornea, patients can wear them for 12+ hours.
Soft lenses are like a thin blanket; they take the shape of whatever is underneath them. If your cornea has astigmatism "bumps," the soft lens will show them, causing blur. A scleral lens is a hard "dome" that keeps its shape. The saline fluid underneath it fills in all the gaps, creating a perfectly smooth new surface for your eye.
Technically, no. Because the saline fluid "neutralizes" the corneal surface, a scleral lens can mask almost any amount of corneal irregularity. We successfully fit patients with over 15.00 diopters of astigmatism who can now see 20/25 with a lens.
Actually, it's the opposite! Scleral lenses are a gold standard treatment for severe dry eye. The lens holds a "reservoir" of saline against your cornea all day long. For patients with high astigmatism and dry eyes, it is a two-for-one solution that fixes vision while keeping the eye hydrated.
Schedule a "Specialty Lens Evaluation" if standard contacts or glasses leave you with shadowy or "ghosted" vision. Seek immediate care if your eye becomes red or painful after removing your scleral lens, as you may have "over-worn" the lens or developed a tight-fit syndrome that can cause corneal swelling (edema).