Dr. Gemoules and my first Scleral Lens

[Gerri55455]

Hi L8rgator and others who've used scleral lenses,

My doctor suggested that I get a scleral lens fitted in MN but I just don't know someone who's had a lens done here. Hence, I'm looking for a place with some 'reputation.' If U of I has good reputation, Chicago would be easier for me to travel to than Dallas. One question: can one use serum tears while wearing scleral lenses? I didn't ask my doctor that question. Thanks a lot. ~Gerri

[L8rgator]

If you are in MN, then Chicago would be a long to repeat every Friday - especially if you are one of the unlucky ones who ends up taking many months to fit a PROSE. ( I think they only do Sclerals/fittings on Fridays -and then I THINK they have to order from Boston each time so you have to come back each time to test & refit).

Isn't Jedlicka in MN? I emailed him a few times. But I think he only does the cheap rotational kinds (because his fitting takes 1.5-2 hours, like the Jupiter ones offered at U of I). But if you want to try something very basic, it might be worth a shot. In January he said a fitting appointment for my eye was roughly $500, and lens $500. Lens is refundable for 90 days, but fitting fee is not. Future adjustments are charged as new appointments. He did add "The lens should help to manage the dryness of your eye, and having your eye open will obviously be better visually. However, it is worth mentioning that if your contact lens surface gets dry, even though your eye underneath is lubricated, your vision may be intermittently blurry. I only say that in advance so you are aware, it should still be a big improvement over having your eye taped shut." I know stock rotational lenses tend to have this type of blurring problem more often then custom fitted ones, because of fit, so that makes sense.

I didn't ask my doc about using serum either, but I did want to. I have others with PROSE have previously mentioned that they do combine the two.

[Gerri55455]

Thanks, L8rgator for the wonderful tips! I really appreciate it. I might end up going to Dallas, then. ~Gerri

[miki-mama]

One question: can one use serum tears while wearing scleral lenses? I didn't ask my doctor that question. Thanks a lot. ~Gerri

Yes, you can use the serum tears while wearing the scleral lenses. In fact, I was told to add the serum drops into the scleral lenses with the saline when ever my eyes were severely inflamed. My vision blurs slightly when I do this, but it works to calm the inflammation noticeably.

[Gerri55455]

Thanks so much, miki-mama! This is good to know. Best, ~Gerri

[tealeaf]

L8rgator / DID,
I read somewhere that Dr. Gemoules laserfit lens are mainly to help patients with vision issues. My main problem is post lasik DRY eyes. Are the sclera lens from Dr. Gemoules able to help? I read also that post lasik patients tend to have more sensitive eyes and not all are suitable to use sclera lens, did Dr. Gemoules commented about this?

I may travel down to Dr. Gemoules if the lens really help.

[L8rgator]

Dr. G's lenses get mentioned in alot of vision correction circles because what he does is so unique that it gets lots of attention. They are actually MORE appropriate for dry eye patients IMHO. If you look his webpages, you'll see a list of dry eye patients that have had alot of success. That's because our eyes are dry, sensitive, physically damaged, and painfully raw when we come in. So the fact that he can create a lens that 1. has a minimal overall thickness (with edges that can be made even thinner when necessary - which it was for me), allowing for the least friction with sensitive eyelids; 2. perfectly fitted to the scleral surface, to keep it comfortably in place and completely off the very sensitive areas of the eye; 3. he can choose the material that best fits the problem (for me, the more wettable material worked best since I have no tears and the winter weather here in WI sucks out moisture instantly); 4. Is crystal clear and rarely fogs (a common problem with sclerals that aren't well fitted); 5. feels like I'm giving my eye a soothing bath the entire time I'm awake; 6. had a painless fitting process that was finished in a few hours over the span of just a few days and I got to experience amazing relief with the first milled lens; 7. Nobody notices I'm wearing it until I point it out; 8. And can correct not only the regular stuff glasses can but also high abberation stuff that you can't do with other glasses and contacts ... still completely amazes me.

One little thing that I've noticed over the past summer is that my lens actually makes me eye more comfortable because it acts as a protective shell. I developed a stye 2 days ago, which is irritating to my eyelid. But with the lens in, my eye feels fine. When I take the lens out, it's much more uncomfortable because instead of a smooth lubricated surface, my eye is rubbing against a swollen eyelid. Putting drops in is also more comfortable, because instead of dropping them onto an irritated eye surface, I drip them onto the lens and don't feel anything. When I get dust in my eyes mowing the lawn, my scleral-ed eye is fine and I rinse it out with drops. My other eye screams and I have to run into the house to flush it and take out the regular soft contact and go without until the eye stops feeling "dirty".

As a side note, I have to say I was waffling back and forth as to whether or not I should stick with the cheaper soft contacts for my "good" eye, or splurge (and I mean splurge, because the fitting is much more expensive) and someday get a scleral for that eye just for vision correction. And to see if having one in both eyes would make them feel equally "chilled" in the winter, making the lopsided chilled sensation less annoying. Now that I've dealt with regular contacts for over a month, I CAN'T STAND THEM. At least once a week I end up crying because I can't get it in, or out. And it feels like somebody is rubbing sand in my eye multiple times a week. I can't even wear them overnight because in the morning they are all irritated and need to be cleaned anyways. 3 times I've grabbed the covering of my eye and pulled, thinking it was the lens. That is horrifying. HORRIFYING. It takes me less than a minute to put in my scleral, and seconds to take it out. Every time. But soft contacts - I just can't get the hang of it. So frustrating!!!!!!!! I just had to get that out of my system, since my husband is tired of hearing me complain only to him....

I'll repeat though that Dr. G's lenses have been life changing. I didn't realize how much my eye was effecting my life in so many different insidious ways until I was able to start doing things I completely forgot I used to do. Now I am eager to get on my motorscooter and ride it all day long to client's homes. That past month I haven't even been wearing glasses under my helmet. I go rollerblading and bicycle riding, without even considering my eye. It's no longer the 24-7 focus of my life. Still an issue, and still needs lots of extra care, but it's just a part of me now instead of BEING me.

[MGD666]

Thank you for this great post L8rgator. It summarizes perfectly what you have said all along about your experiences with these.

[L8rgator]

I've been also meaning to the thread about whether I'm self conscious about wearing the big lens. I see my brother's family many times a week, and do weekly tutoring for their kids. They were used to my patches and eye tape, and I've shown them how I put my lens in and take it out a few times since I got it last winter and I wear it all day every day. 2 weeks ago we were looking at the computer and the 11 year old said "Hmmmm. wait, I have to check something...." and ran around to my other side and said "don't look at me! look at the computer!". After a few more times running back and forth, she proclaimed "your eyes have a white circle in the white area!". I said, "um yeah - that's my scleral lens, you've seen it. For like 5 months.". She said "no, well, but you have it in both eyes!". I only have a regular contact in the other eye, so I think she was seeing things -but it goes to show that it's hard to notice unless you are looking for it or staring someone closeup in the eye for some odd reason.

[tealeaf]

Hi L8rgator,
Thanks for the post and it's really so nice to hear that you are able to do so many more things without considering the eye.

How often do you use eye drops now?

My main concern is dryness and I really really hope that Laserfit lens can help. My secondary concern - I wonder if the lens can help with floaters. Since lasik, I suppose more light enters my eyes and I am more aware of the floaters. I wonder if the lens can help in this aspect. Even if the floaters are not resolved, the relief in dryness is enough for me to travel to Dr. Gemoules

[André Pereira]

tealeaf

In June I did a search on the forum.
First I searched for topics that cited Dr. Gemoules and scleral lenses.
Then I found out which users (post-lasik) bought lenses.
At least three users with our problem were benefited by these lenses.

Researched as follows:
1-I found users (post-lasik) who bought the lenses.
2-I performed a search on google for their nick. I put the results chronologically so I started following stories.
3-Many stopped posting after using the lenses.

Had a guy who said "regained his lost lifetime".

After reading all this I was SUPER excited.

So I sent an email to Dr. G. He was talking to me the night of Saturday and Sunday for two or three hours. Was very attentive. He sent me the contact of some people who made the lenses for me to talk with him.

Unfortunately not talked to any post-lasik, I did not ask him right.

Try sending an email to him, who knows you can talk to someone who has our problem and was helped!

I will travel to the USA later this year or early next year to make my lenses. I know that no tool has guaranteed its effectiveness for our problem, but I think they can help.

If you have any new information, post it here for us.

Hug!

[MGD666]

Yes, I agree with what Andre has said here. I have yet to speak with Gemoules, but certainly plan to. On the flip side, I have also heard it stated here that they may not be of much benefit to those with severe dry eye caused mainly be lipid-deficient. Since I am both aqueous and lipid-deficient, I am hopeful that they will provide at least some relief in my case. I imagine that the fit is "everything" with these, and determines how well you do with the lenses comfort-wise.

I also encourage anyone who has had these lenses made to post any follow-up info on your experiences (thank you so much L8rgator and DryinDenver for all of your informative posts and the time you have taken to document your experiences. It sounds like there are at least 3 of us here now actively considering this option, and in my case, it's largely thanks to the information you two have posted.

[DryInDenver]

L8rgator / DID,
I read somewhere that Dr. Gemoules laserfit lens are mainly to help patients with vision issues. My main problem is post lasik DRY eyes. Are the sclera lens from Dr. Gemoules able to help? I read also that post lasik patients tend to have more sensitive eyes and not all are suitable to use sclera lens, did Dr. Gemoules commented about this?

I too am post-lasik. These have made a world of difference for me. I've also read of lasik patients that didn't get much help from sclerals. If I remember correctly, this was mostly attributed to corneal neuralgia where the nerves grew back abnormally and were firing pain signals even though the surface of the eye was in decent shape. The advice I read regarding this made sense to me. Basically it said that if you seem go get some relief from moisture goggles then your odds of getting help from sclerals were much higher. In a sense, they are like the ultimate moisture chambers for your corneas.

How often do you use eye drops now?

I still use drops quite often, but the lenses have made an immense change in my quality of life. The drops help he whites of my eyes because they still get dry throughout the day as they are not protected by the lenses. But the dry itchy feeling that I can get from the whites drying out is nothing compared to the pain associated with a dry cornea. On a pain scale a I'd say it's like varies from a 0 to a 1.5 compared to bouncing between 4 and 8 before I got the lenses. L8rgator doesn't seem to have this same issue with the whites drying out so I assume it varies from eye to eye as many of the specific symptoms do.

My main concern is dryness and I really really hope that Laserfit lens can help. My secondary concern - I wonder if the lens can help with floaters. Since lasik, I suppose more light enters my eyes and I am more aware of the floaters. I wonder if the lens can help in this aspect. Even if the floaters are not resolved, the relief in dryness is enough for me to travel to Dr. Gemoules

I'd check with Dr. G on the prospect of getting help with the floaters. I wouldn't be surprised if you get some improvement. IF a lens can help with that I'm guessing it would be the LaserFits. To my knowledge they are the only ones thus far to incorporate wavefront technology and I think that is what helps with the higher order aberrations like stars and halos at night, double vision, and hopefully floaters.

[tealeaf]

DID,
Thank you so much for your reply. Read somewhere in this forum, seems like there are some post lasik patients suffer from corneal neuralgia which made their scleral so sensitive and thus cannot tolerate scleral lens.

For post lasik patients, will wearing scleral lens affect the flap? How long post lasik before you start using scleral lens?
Can one wear the scleral lens with the plugs? Currently, I have lower plugs in my eyes.

Do you have to remove the lens and re-lubricate them during the day?

Apologies for the many questions.

Andre/ MGD,
Are you also post lasik sufferers? Yes, I saw few posts where patients are checking out from this forum after gotten suitable scleral lens.

[L8rgator]

Poorly fitted lenses can definitely cause pain. If they are too tight, that irritates simptoms. Or if the edges are too thick, that irritates eyelids, which irritates the whole eye.

I do have problems with the white of my eye becoming uncomfortable. My feeling is more of a chilled feeling than itchy scratchy. When it's between 70-80ish degrees, and I keep drops in maybe every hour or two (slightly more frequently when very windy, or dry) and with that I almost never have the chilled feeling. Above 80 degrees OR rainy and warm I try to remember to put drops in at least every few hours just to keep the eye healthy, but my eye feels perfect so I forget about it alot. I've mowed my lawn/old pastures for over 4 hours after my drops fell out of my pocket with no problems. Under 70n degrees my white gets the chilled feeling, and it's annoying. Not painful, but definitely distracting when I'm not keeping myself busy with an activity. When it was really cold (talking 10 degrees F and below and I was out walking dogs for hours, it is definitely at it's worst. Back then I was using drops ever 20-30 minutes, or more if windy. I've had such an awesome summer that I'm nervous about the oncoming winter and that annoying chilled feeling knowing now what it's like to feel completely normal again. We're seriously considering moving in a couple years to a climate that stays above 70 degrees. But my husband does very poorly in heat, so were still working through the plans.

I did have a scratchy feeling a couple of weeks ago when I got a bad cold (actually i think it was that illness that is going around the midwest right now, because we all had fevers). I thought maybe I scratched the lens. Dr Gemoules said it was probably because my eye had swollen just a bit, so the lens fit tight. He was right - it had had just a bit of suction coming off that day which is very unusual for me, and the next day it was back to normal. That day it did fog a couple times, and one or maybe 2 other days when I had a bad allergy attack I had a couple instances of fogging also. Not sure if fogging was due to the fit change, or my eye just being goopy. It was only momentary, and I cleaned the lens and put it back on and it was fine the rest of the day. There was a bit of suction both times.