Key Takeaways
- Scleral lenses improved vision and reduced symptoms across multiple ocular surface diseases.
- More than half of patients reported midday fogging despite high overall satisfaction with lens wear.
Scleral lenses improved vision and reduced symptoms in patients with a range of ocular surface diseases, according to a study evaluating both clinical outcomes and patient-reported experiences.
Researchers found significant gains in best-corrected visual acuity and reductions in Ocular Surface Disease Index scores among patients with keratoconus, ocular surface trauma, postkeratoplasty, and dry eye disease following lens wear.
The study used OCT-guided customized scleral lens fitting and assessed outcomes including intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, and patient satisfaction. All groups experienced visual improvement, however patients in the postkeratoplasty group showed the smallest gains in visual acuity. Central corneal thickness increased after lens wear.
Researchers also found differences in tear reservoir thickness, with the postkeratoplasty group showing thicker superior and superonasal tear reservoirs than the keratoconus and dry eye groups. Ratings for handling, cleanliness, and overall satisfaction were similar among all groups. However, patients with ocular trauma reported smaller improvements in quality of life, while postkeratoplasty patients reported lower comfort levels than those with keratoconus.
More than half of participants (51.3%) reported midday fogging during scleral lens wear.
Reference
Zhu Y, Cai J, Su L, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Scleral Lens Treatment in Ocular Surface Diseases: A Prospective Study. J Ophthalmol. 2026;2026:1921583. doi: 10.1155/joph/1921583. PMID: 42183401; PMCID: PMC13197798.
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