New SoClear Lens is So Clear

We have been using a new gas permeable rigid lens called the SoClear lens. It is a scleral lens, which means it has a very large diameter = 13.0 to 15.0 mm. These large diameter rigid lenses work very well for patients with corneal dystrophies such as Keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration. The lens completely vaults the cornea and rests on the white of the eye (sclera). Patients with irregular corneas who have had problems in the past with contact lenses find these lenses work almost miraculously well.

These large lenses are a bit time consuming to fit because multiple diagnostic lenses must be applied to the eyes to determine the proper lens fit. The "bowl" of the lens must be filled with saline and orange dye (fluorescein) to evaluate the lens/cornea relationship. Patients with irregular corneas almost always have normal peripheral corneas/ scleras, and these lenses "fit" on that area of the eye. Sceleral contact lenses such as SoClear are the best bet for providing good vision on irregular corneas.