Getting Started with Scleral Lenses

For many patients, scleral lenses are they key to vastly improved vision. The doctors and staff at The Eye Shop are dedicated to guiding you through the process of evaluating and wearing scleral contact lenses. To prepare for your first set of take-home trial lenses, you’ll want to make sure you have the following materials. You are not required to purchase these items through Amazon. The links are provided to simplify the process, if you so choose. To make your experience as seamless as possible, please have all listed items before your next visit to our office.

0.9% Sterile Saline Solution

Before it is placed on your eye, every scleral lens needs to be filled with sterile saline solution. This is different from contact lens solution and even different from bottled saline solution. Using a contact lens solution or bottled saline can disrupt vision and even damage the eye. There is saline solution developed specifically for scleral lens patients, but it tends to be pricier than the solution we use, with virtually no difference in performance. This solution comes in vials of 3mL or 5 mL (we recommend the 3mL to reduce waste). Our recommended product (pictured below) can be found here.

Scleral Lens Inserters

Placing a lens on your eye requires the assistance of a scleral lens inserter. These can be difficult to find in stores and usually have to be purchased online. For that purpose, we recommend having several on hand. We recommend buying the regular ones and cutting off the rounded edges to give them a vent. We will demonstrate that in-office. These can be purchased here.

Scleral Lens Removers

Removing a lens from your eye requires a different tool that looks like the inserter, only much thinner. Much like their larger counterpart, these are difficult to find in-store and usually need to be purchased online. We similarly recommend having several on hand. You definitely don’t want to be caught at work/on vacation/etc without a way to get your lens in or out. These can be purchased here:

Contact Lens CLEANING Solution

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the solution you use to clean your lens is different from what you’re using to fill the lens before insertion. One cannot be substituted for the other. For cleaning your lenses, we recommend using Boston Simplus Multi-Action 2-in-1. You can find this solution at just about every pharmacy/grocery store. It can also be found online here.

Optional Items

When we train you to insert and remove your scleral lenses, we use a flat tabletop mirror and a magnifying mirror. Some patient choose to use similar items at home while others do not. These items can be found at Walmart, Target, Joann Fabrics and others. You can also get them online here and here.

Preparing for Your Insertion and Removal Training

Even if you’ve worn contacts before, scleral lenses are an entirely different process. This video by Dr. Allen does a wonderful job of setting expectations. Watch it once or twice to get familiar with the process, but don’t feel like you need to memorize it. We’ll walk you through the entire process!

We at The Eye Shop look forward to helping you achieve your best possible vision through scleral contact lens wear! If you have any questions or concerns with these products, the process of evaluating/wearing scleral contacts, or anything else, please do not hesitate to reach out to us! 480-656-7739.