How Can We Best Measure the Performance of Scleral Lenses? Current Insights

Abstract

Scleral lenses (SLs) present several unique advantageous characteristics for patients. As these lenses are mainly fitted in severely diseased eyes, a thorough evaluation of the ocular surface before and after SL fitting and the on-eye SL fitting evaluation are essential and help minimize potential physiological complications. This review will explore the current and emerging techniques and instrumentation to best measure SL performance ensuring optimal lens fitting, visual quality, comfort and physiological responses, highlighting some potential complications and follow-up recommendations. A single physician could perform the great majority of evaluations. Still, the authors consider that the assessment of SL fitting should be a collaborative and multidisciplinary job, involving contact lens practitioners, ophthalmologists and the industry. This publication has reviewed the most up-to-date work and listed the most used techniques; however, the authors encourage the development of more evidence-based recommendations for SL clinical practice.

Keywords:

• scleral lens
• performance
• instrumentation

Disclosure

Dr Melissa Barnett reports Speaker/Advisory Board from ABB, Acculens, Bausch + Lomb, Contamac, Gas Permeable Lens Institute, Scleral Lens Education Society, Synergeyes, Tangible Science, Global Ambassador/Speaker from BCLA, Advisory Board/Podcast Sponsor from CooperVision, Advisory Board from Mojo Vision, outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.