Scleral, Ortho-K, and Specialty contact lenses

Specialty Contact Lenses

Sometimes standard contact lenses aren’t suitable for certain people because of conditions, such as keratoconus, dry eye, high amounts of astigmatism, and more. Often people with these conditions are told they can’t wear standard contact lenses; however, they may be able to wear specialty contact lenses.

Scleral Lenses

Scleral lenses are large diameter gas permeable lenses which vault above the entire cornea and rest on the “white” part of the eye – the sclera – which is less sensitive than the cornea. Scleral lenses are helpful for patients who have keratoconus or other types of corneal irregularities and patients with significant dry eye.

There are different sizes of scleral lenses, but all of them are larger than conventional contact lenses which leads to good stability and can give patients excellent visual clarity.

Scleral contact lenses are custom-made for each patient and require time and expertise in the fitting process. The doctors at Spring Hill Associates have expertise in scleral lenses.

Ortho-K

Orthokeratology, otherwise known as ortho-k, is a process of fitting special gas-permeable contact lenses to reshape the cornea.

Patients wear the special contact lenses at night, while they sleep, and can then enjoy clear vision during the day, without the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. While the patient sleeps, the surface of their eyes are gently and gradually reshaped by the special contact lenses.

This reshaping of the cornea can help to improve nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. In some cases, patients can eliminate their need for eyeglasses or daytime use of contact lenses entirely.

Who is a good candidate for Orthokeratology?

Orthokeratology is an ideal procedure for patients who no longer wish to wear eyeglasses or contacts during the day, and do not want to undergo laser vision correction surgery. Orthokeratology is a safe procedure when performed with high-quality lenses from a reputable practitioner.

• Adults and children can benefit from ortho-k.
• Orthokeratology is best suited for patients with myopia, otherwise known as nearsightedness. People with myopia have a hard time seeing objects in the distance, such as signs on the highway, or a blackboard in a classroom.
• Children ages 8 – 12 with progressive myopia (nearsightedness which gets worse every year) may especially benefit from orthokeratology.

What are the benefits of Orthokeratology?

Orthokeratology will correct vision for near and far tasks, such as watching TV or reading a book, without the need for daytime use of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

• Athletes appreciate the freedom from the daytime use of eyeglasses or contact lenses while they train and engage in their sport.
• In addition to the freedom from the use of daytime contact lenses or eyeglasses, children with myopia may benefit from the treatment to slow down the progression of myopia, which can lead to a reduced risk of eye disease later in life.

Specialty Contact Lenses in Spring House, PA or Glenside, PA

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with an optometrist at Spring House Eye Associates for scleral lenses, Ortho-K, or specialty contact lenses please contact us at 215-628-8799 for our Spring House, PA office, or 215-886-5510 for our Glenside, PA office to schedule an appointment.