Scleral Lenses vs. Soft Contacts for Keratoconus: A Centennial Patient’s Guide to Sharp Vision

Living with keratoconus can make clear, consistent vision difficult, even with glasses or traditional contact lenses. Because keratoconus causes the cornea to thin and develop an irregular, cone-like shape, light may not focus properly on the retina. At Milestones Eyecare in Centennial, we offer specialty contact lens options designed to provide clearer, more comfortable vision for patients with irregular corneas.

Why Keratoconus Makes Contact Lens Fitting Different

Standard soft contact lenses are designed to follow the shape of the cornea. For someone with a relatively regular corneal surface, that can work well. With keratoconus, however, the uneven corneal shape can make it harder for conventional contacts to provide stable, sharp vision.

Custom soft contact lenses may still be an option for some people with mild to moderate keratoconus. As the condition becomes more pronounced, specialty lenses such as scleral contacts may provide better visual correction.

How Scleral Lenses Work

Scleral lenses are larger than traditional contacts. Instead of resting directly on the cornea, they vault over it and rest on the white portion of the eye, known as the sclera. The space between the lens and cornea is filled with fluid, creating a smooth optical surface over the irregular cornea.

This design can help provide more stable vision while reducing direct contact with sensitive or irregular corneal tissue.

Scleral Lenses vs. Soft Contacts for Keratoconus

When Centennial patients ask us which type of contact lens may be better for keratoconus, several factors need to be considered:

•          Vision quality: Scleral lenses can help create a smoother optical surface over an irregular cornea for sharper, more dependable vision.

•          Stability: Their larger design helps scleral lenses remain more stable on the eye.

•          Comfort: The lens vaults over the cornea instead of resting directly on the irregular area.

•          Moisture: Fluid beneath a scleral lens creates a reservoir over the cornea, which can also benefit patients who experience dry eye symptoms.

•          Customization: Both specialty soft lenses and scleral lenses require careful measurements and fitting based on the individual eye.

Finding the Right Contact Lens Fit in Centennial

There is no single contact lens that is right for every person with keratoconus. The severity and shape of the corneal irregularity, your prescription, comfort needs, tear film, and lifestyle all influence which option may work best.

At Milestones Eyecare, our contact lens evaluations include careful measurements of the cornea and assessment of how a lens fits and moves on the eye. Specialty contact lenses may include scleral, rigid gas-permeable, hybrid, or other customized lens designs depending on your needs. If soft contacts are no longer giving you the clear, comfortable vision you need, a specialty scleral lens fitting may open the door to better vision.

Schedule a specialty contact lens evaluation with Milestones Eyecare to find out whether scleral lenses may be right for your keratoconus. Contact our office in Centennial, CO, or call by calling (720) 303-3069 to book an appointment.