Scleral lenses offer a transformative way to manage complex vision issues, offering a level of comfort and visual clarity that standard lenses can’t match. It’s critical to understand what daily scleral lens wear and care entail. Read on for a comprehensive review of a day in the life of wearing scleral lenses.
Starting Your Day: The Morning Routine
Your morning scleral lens routine should always focus on hygiene and preparation. Before handling your lenses, wash and dry your hands thoroughly to prevent introducing bacteria to your eyes. Next, you’ll fill the fluid reservoir of each lens with a preservative-free saline solution to keep your cornea hydrated throughout the day. You must never use tap water because it can contain microorganisms, including Acanthamoeba that can cause severe eye infections. Inserting scleral lenses requires some practice, so it may take a bit longer at first. They are larger than standard soft contact lenses, making them slightly more difficult to handle and insert. Most scleral lens wearers develop their own technique over time. After an adjustment period, the entire process typically takes only a few seconds. If you use skincare or wear makeup, it’s best to insert your lenses while your face is clean and free of products. Scented lotions, mascara, and eyeshadow can get trapped under the lens or on the lens surface, potentially causing blurry vision, irritation, and even infections. It can also be beneficial to switch to hypoallergenic makeup products and avoid applying eyeliner to the water line of your eyelids.
Midday: Maintaining Comfort
One of the most significant benefits of scleral lenses is the consistent comfort they provide during the day. The fluid reservoir helps reduce dryness and irritation by providing hydration to the eye, allowing most people to wear them comfortably during waking hours. Some scleral lens wearers, especially during the adjustment period, may need to remove and re-insert their lenses once or twice a day if they become foggy or uncomfortable. You should always have a small scleral lens kit with you when you’re away from home. Your kit should include extra saline solution, a lens case, and plungers. If you’re leaving home for an extended period, ensure you have a cleaning and disinfecting solution with you so you can adequately care for your lenses.
Staying Active and Protecting Your Eyes
Scleral lenses are designed to fit your eyes precisely and stay securely in place, making them ideal for an active lifestyle. Whether you’re working, exercising, or participating in outdoor activities, scleral lenses can provide stable vision. However, they do not offer UV protection, so be sure to wear sunglasses whenever you go outside. Direct sun exposure can damage your eyes, so it’s critical to keep them protected when potentially exposed to UV.
Ending Your Day: The Evening Routine
When you start winding down for the night, you should remove your lenses at least one hour before getting into bed. You must never sleep with scleral lenses in your eyes. It can increase your risk of infection and irritation. Removal is simple, but it does require clean hands and a gentle approach. Many scleral lens wearers use a small plunger to lift the lens off the eye surface because it’s easier to control the pressure. Cleaning your scleral lenses is one of the most critical steps in your daily routine. Using the cleaning solution recommended by your eye care practitioner, rinse and gently rub the lenses to dislodge any buildup or debris. It is critical to your eye health to thoroughly clean and replace your lens case regularly to avoid contamination.
Scleral Lens Adjustment
Be patient for the first few weeks with scleral lenses as you adjust to your new routine. You may require extra time in the morning and evening to get used to the insertion, removal, and cleaning process. Most patients find that the advantages far outweigh the learning curve. Clear vision, all-day comfort, and relief from dry eye are long-term benefits that make the minor discomfort of the initial adjustment period worthwhile.
Achieve Comfort and Clarity with Scleral Lenses
Wearing scleral lenses requires a commitment to strict hygiene and adherence to daily routines. However, with some practice, your daily routine will become quick and easy, eliminating painful symptoms and allowing for sharp vision throughout the day. If you’re new to scleral lenses, support is always available at Weston Contact Lens Institute. The adjustment period may raise several questions, so don’t hesitate to reach out for help. If you believe that scleral lenses may be a good option for you, contact Weston Contact Lens Institute to schedule an eye exam. Our eye care experts will guide you through the fitting and adjustment period to ensure that your condition is treated appropriately. We offer a range of specialty lenses for managing various ocular conditions should scleral lenses not be appropriate for you.
