2 weeks into sclerals...

[Max]

I put Vancouver, WA in quotes and then scleral vaulted contact lenses, dry eye in Google

and found this which is complex reading.

http://www.medicinenet.com/corneal_d...er-wa_city.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/dry_eyes/article.htm

[Max]

Thanks Max, I sure hope they work well for you. I am in Vancouver, Washington. So anything in the Portland metro area would be great. I could also drive to Seattle. My eyes won't like it but I can do it. I can go anywhere if it's a one time thing, I think though that since there would be follow up visits, it would be hard to travel a ton, as desperate I am for relief, it's not practical for me, I can't get time off my job and it would be costly

With each site there is way to contact the manufacturer and ask if they serve your area. My problem is I only know of two types of vaulted sclerals.

Rebecca has been so help to me its incredible. I even sleep better because of her and she talked to my husband on the phone and suggested goggles.
I would suspect she knows of other types and might help you. I'll do a google search for scleral lenses in Vancouver to start with and see what I can come up with.

[Betsy]

Thanks Max, I sure hope they work well for you. I am in Vancouver, Washington. So anything in the Portland metro area would be great. I could also drive to Seattle. My eyes won't like it but I can do it. I can go anywhere if it's a one time thing, I think though that since there would be follow up visits, it would be hard to travel a ton, as desperate I am for relief, it's not practical for me, I can't get time off my job and it would be costly

[Max]

I had my tear ducts cortaurized so I can't answer that question.

Duke University Medical center does the Jupiters and I think the product sold by Boston lenses is very easy to find northwest of the Mason dixon line.

My optician told me there are other labs producing the vaulted sclerals. The Jupiters were the only type recomened to me and I can't travel to find the Bostons so that's what I'm working with.

If you gave your general location, perhaps someone here could make a recommendation for you.

Even with all the trials I still feel this is the answer for me. I think that with my history they should have used the larger lenses from the start. But my corneas are horribly irregular and not everyone has that issue

[Betsy]

Thank you both, it's good to know that comfort may not be an issue with these. I need to find someone in my area that does them if I can avoid having to travel. Nothing came up when I did a search in my area but I will make some calls and see what I can find out. I know I asked my doctor about it years ago and he said they didn't do them or know anyone that does in the area.

I wonder how the lens can produce just the right amount of lubrication without overdoing it. 4 plugs can make you blurry but 2 is not enough. Would I remove my plugs if I tried scleral lenses?

[Max]

Betsy: Rebecca said it all: "The whole point of sclerals is that they don't, they vault over it. So issues related to corneal sensation aren't normally an issue with sclerals."

They use saline to cover your corneas and I failed with every contact lens option in the past (hard lenses and soft lenses) due to intense sensitivity of my corneas and an inability for the contacts to sit in position on my irregular corneas. They always slid down and I saw a half moon at the top..

Now I feel nothing on my corneas. If we can fit them properly, I know these are going to work for me. I can't wait to put them on in the morning. My eyes go from painful to a sense of deep relief!

Hope that is help to you.

[Rebecca Petris]

If a person couldn't wear hard or gas permeable contacts, is it safe to assume they won't be able to handle sclerals either? I use to wear soft contact lenses and only one type worked well at the time. I worry I won't be a candidate though my eyes need it. How comfortable are they really?

Generally, no, but it depends on the reason for not being able to wear other lenses. Normally the problem with any contact lens is related to the cornea. Normal contacts sit right on the cornea. The whole point of sclerals is that they don't, they vault over it. So issues related to corneal sensation aren't normally an issue with sclerals.

[Betsy]

If a person couldn't wear hard or gas permeable contacts, is it safe to assume they won't be able to handle sclerals either? I use to wear soft contact lenses and only one type worked well at the time. I worry I won't be a candidate though my eyes need it. How comfortable are they really?

[Dog2012]

i found these using Google and there are more links. I used the Keyword Jupiter scleral lenses for dry eye


Jupiter Scleral | Visionary Optics | Innovative Contact Lens ...
http://www.visionary-optics.com/jupiter-scleral
Product information about Jupiter Scleral, the ultimate contact lens for ... and asymmetric corneas as well as provide a large tears for severe dry eye cases.

Fitting Techniques for a Scleral Lens Design - Contact Lens Spectrum
http://www.clspectrum.com/articlevie...ticleid=102474
Jan 1, 2009 – The Jupiter scleral contact lens (Medlens Innovations, Inc./Essilor) is ... secondary to severe dry eye syndrome, Stevens Johnson syndrome, ...

Today's Scleral Lens - Review of Optometry
http://www.revoptom.com/continuing_e...st/.../108308/
The recent resurgence of scleral contact lenses has significantly improved our ... more is important with scleral lenses, because they semi-seal to the eye, making tear .... Jupiter scleral lenses in the management of chronic graft versus host disease. ... P. Boston scleral lens prosthetic device for treatment of severe dry eye in ...

Jupiter Fit Guide.indd - ABBA Optical, Inc.
http://www.abbaoptical.com/images/jupiter_fit_guide.pdf
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
The Jupiter Scleral Lens falls into multiple overall diameters: 15.0mm, ... and asymmetric corneas as well as provide a large tear volume for severe dry eye cases. .... To successfully fit the Jupiter contact lens, you must meet three objectives: ...

New scleral contact lens offers hope for patients with severe corneal ...
http://www.mayoclinic.org/.../sclera...isease-opu0102...
Scleral contact lenses allow cornea subspecialists to deal more effectively ... "The patient with dry eye worries about a lens abrading the compromised ... At Mayo, Dr. Schornack began fitting scleral lenses using the Jupiter design scleral lens, ...

Hope these help

Max

I am wondering how difficult to put them on and take them off.?

[Betsy]

Thanks Rebecca! Will changing it now also work for older messages I did in which I didn't have the instant setting or just for future messages?

[Rebecca Petris]

Oh boy lot's of info, will have to read it all, may end up with even more questions now, thanks Max. Wish I could get notification when someone responds to a message I send.

Betsy, you can.

1) Click on "Private Messages" in the blue bar towards the top left of the screen.

2) Scroll down under "My Settings" till you see "General Settings", and click on that.

3) If you want to be emailed when someone replies to a post of yours (or in a thread of yours), look under Messaging and Notification where it says "Default Thread Subscription Mode". Switch it to one of the email options.

4) If you want to be emailed when someone PMs you, click "Receive Email Notification of new Private Messages" further down that same page.

5) Don't forget to click "Save Changes" at the bottom of that page.

[Max]

I was just called and told they are going to fit me for much larger sclerals but its going to take time to get the test lenses because the Jupiters are loaned out by the manufacturer to opticians and I have to wait until one set is returned and then sent to my optician.

I'm just hoping this can happen before Christmas.

[Betsy]

Oh boy lot's of info, will have to read it all, may end up with even more questions now, thanks Max. Wish I could get notification when someone responds to a message I send.

[JoeB]

May I ask, what size are these new sclerals?

Hi I'm on my fifth try with Jupiter sclerals and seems like we're getting close. I have had a problem with the last lenses which build up debris and cloud my vision after only two hours wear. My first pairs were often clear and had to cleaned only every other day. Now I have two problems with the current set, the cloudy buildup and bubbles appearing under the lenses after they've been thoroughly checked and look clean. My husband uses a bright flashlight and carefully checks for bubbles.

My first Jupiters were a very pale green tint. I had a choice between a blue and a green for ease of seeing the lenses. No color appears on the eyes. These last lenses are clear; no tint. The right is worse than the left when it comes to building up a cloudy residue. I asked if they were Plasma and I was told they were. I can't figure this out. And, while I don't want to sound like I'm a complainer, the optometrist just doesn't seem to be interested in anything I have to say. It's like she's bored and seems unwilling to tell me if she has any previous experience with Jupiter lenses. She just wants me to point out how they feel and then shut the heck up.

[JoeB]

That's interesting. When I wear soft contacts, after a few hours my eye gets irritated, and I know this due to red veins. Is the irritation coming to the eye due to something with the contact touching the cornea? I assumed that the contacts were absorbing the tears, removing the moisture,and drying the eye out, but maybe there is another reason. A second question is, even when you wear your sclerals, do you practise good computer hygiene as in wearing goggles, etc.? I assume yes due to things you've said before.

I've been wearing them for 6.5 years. Overall quite good experience. However bear in mind I am primarily a vision case, secondarily dry eye. I wear sclerals because I have to wear rigid lenses to see but can't tolerate lenses that touch my corneas. I'm definitely not a worst-case type dry eye - I am not severely aqueous deficient for example, but very, very uncomfortable without my lenses.