If you’ve been living with dry eyes, keratoconus, or any eye condition affecting the cornea, you may have heard of a special type of contact lenses that’s been quietly changing lives: scleral contact lenses. These clever lenses rest on the white part of the eye (the sclera) and vault completely over the corneal surface, creating a pocket of fluid that can transform your eye health and comfort. Magic? Almost.
So why aren’t more people talking about them? Let’s fix that.
Unlike your typical soft contact lenses or rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, scleral lenses are larger in diameter. They cover more of the eye and offer stability and comfort to those with irregular corneas, severe dry eyes, or specific eye diseases like Stevens-Johnson syndrome, ocular surface disease, or advanced degeneration from keratitis.
They’re especially useful for anyone with:
keratoconus (where the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape)
post-surgical complications (like after LASIK or corneal transplants)
severe dry eyes or Sjogren’s syndrome
Scleral lenses don’t just correct vision. They protect the surface of the eye like a comfy dome, reducing irritation and improving clarity where glasses or smaller lenses fall short.
People with dry eyes know the pain: gritty, itchy, and just plain exhausting. But with scleral lenses, the saline solution trapped between the lens and the eye surface helps keep things moist all day. That means relief from light sensitivity and improved comfort, even for full-day wear.
Add in custom lens fitting and high oxygen permeability, and you’ve got a contact lens wear experience that’s as gentle as a spa day for your eyes.
| Feature | Scleral lenses | Soft contact lenses | RGP lenses |
| Size | Large (vaults over cornea) | Small | Small |
| Comfort | Very high (once fitted) | High | Moderate |
| Vision correction | Excellent for irregular corneas | Great for standard prescriptions | Excellent for regular corneas |
| Use case | Dry eye, keratoconus, post-surgery | Myopia, astigmatism, daily wear | Refractive errors, astigmatism |
Before popping them in, you’ll fill the lens with sterile saline — never store contacts in tap water (unless you’re keen on inviting eye infections. Please don’t). The lens is applied using a little tool called a plunger, though your trusty index finger can sometimes do the job.
Lens care matters. Stick to preservative-free saline solution and a recommended cleaning solution, and always store lenses in a proper contact lens case. Regular eye exams and check-ins with your optometrist are key to long-term success.
If you’ve tried everything — eye drops, different lenses, even LASIK — and you’re still struggling with your eye health, ask your optometrist or ophthalmologist about scleral lenses. They require expert lens fitting, but the results speak for themselves: stable vision, happier eyes, and fewer eye problems day to day.
They may not be for everyone, but for people with tricky eyes or long-term surface issues, scleral lenses could be life-changing.
Scleral contact lenses aren’t just for rare eye conditions. They’re for anyone who wants better vision correction, more comfort, and a way to treat their eyes to the care they deserve. Ask your eye care professional if they could be the upgrade your eyes have been waiting for.
