The effects of Scleral Lenses on Dry Eye Disease
Fatemeh Zahra Sohrabi Nia1 *, Elham Seihei2 , Narges Seihei3
- Biomedical Engineering Student, University of Science and Arts of Yazd, Yazd, Iran.
- Speech and language pathologist, Hormozgan, Iran
- Student of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract: Dry eye disease is highly prevalent worldwide, causing discomfort and visual disturbances that can limit basic activities such as reading and driving. These patients complain of eyes that are dry, itchy, irritated, and sometimes downright painful. Eyedrops and artificial tears can deliver relief but is no more than a temporary solution. Dry eye treatment with scleral contacts very effectively treats the pain and discomfort experienced by patients with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome. Most vision plans consider dry eye treatment with scleral lenses as medically necessary.
Methods: Science Direct, Pubmed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (2010 through 2021) were searched for English-language studies using a list of keywords. The books about Ophthalmology, medicine were studied too.
Results: Dry eye occurs when your tears cannot properly lubricate your eyes. It’s a condition commonly caused by instability within your tear film. Dry eye symptoms may seem normal at first, but the inflammation and irritation can damage your eyes if not properly treated. Scleral lenses cover the cornea keeping the cornea from drying out. A scleral lens is used to treat dry eye syndrome by essentially replacing the front surface of the eye with a lens. This lens protects the cornea, preventing the cornea itself from drying out. The scleral lens holds a layer of tears over the cornea thus keeping it hydrated.
Conclusion: Scleral contact lenses have emerged as a go-to treatment modality in specialty contact lens practice in vision correction. Likewise, the use of large-diameter GP scleral lenses have become indispensable in the management of patients with multiple types of ocular surface disease. They provide excellent vision, comfort, and ocular health for those patients faced with challenging corneal and anterior segment conditions.
