Twit

[brd888]

Pardon me for probably being a twit.

But why are scleral lenses so different from plain old contacts? I'm thinking why isn't there an off the shelf disposable contact which can temporarily protect eyes with poor tear films?

Thanks,
Bruce

[rubyslippers]

There is and I have them. Ask your doctor for Synergeyes. As long as they are in my eyes my dry eye is at worst slightly uncomfortable and much of the time I can feel no discomfort at all. Additionally I have 20/20 vision with them and my wearing time is not limited. They cost about 15% more than regular contacts, but they are so very worth it. Until I was fitted for them, other treatments helped some but not consistently. I have had them for coming up on 3 months now.

[Rebecca Petris]

Re: what makes sclerals different... First distinction is material. Rigid gas permeable lenses are totally different animals from silicone or silicone-hydrogel lenses. Second distinction is size and where they sit relative to the cornea - this is what distinguishes sclerals from all other rgp lenses.

Standard soft lenses are often very valuable as bandage lenses. I'm always surprised at how many people have never been offered this even if they're experiencing RCEs.

Regarding Synergeyes, not to be a party pooper or anything but I do want to remind us all that these lenses aren't approved, or even anecdotally known in the medical community (so far as I'm aware), as a dry eye treatment. I love hearing success stories, keep 'em coming, but I just feel we need to keep that perspective too. Same goes for Azasite and bleph. Let's see some studies documenting safety for these specialty uses before we go out there seeking them en masse.

[rubyslippers]

Deleted this one since the next one contains all the information.

[rubyslippers]

Synergeyes are FDA approved as of January 2007 and were pre-approved over a year before that and on the market. One of the reason they are just now being prescribed is because doctors go through intensive training in order to fit them appropriately in order to treat the dry eye wearers of them. The concerns about over-vascularization are proving to be untrue. In fact, RGPs are much more of a risk for that rare condition. Additionally, it is a very, very slow progressing condition and is completely reversible by simply switching to glasses. This risk is actually posed with all sorts of contacts but since the condition is not only rare, but takes years to develop, my doctor said it is an "extremely minor concern particularly for those who have any eye doctor check them yearly". It is very easy to diagnose. Additionally, most doctors go their whole career without ever seeing a case.

Synergeyes, in the last year, are being widely prescribed here in the NW. Since I got mine I know of a couple dozen other people with them now and I live in a small town. When I saw the eye specialist in Seattle, he was thrilled that I had them and said they are the newest, and as far as he was concerned, the single best way to treat dry eye. Additionally, he said they are as safe as any lens and much safer to have your dry eye treated than to allow your eye health to suffer. Since I have had them I have not had one single eye infection (major problem for me) because my eyes are so much healthier since they are not dry all day.

I can strongly recommend these from personal experience as well as the experience of my SIL and my friend who are thrilled. I also know someone who has been unable to work for 4 years due to dry eye whose life has returned completely to normal including mountain climbing.

Become informed and make the decision with your doctor. They are changing the lives of dry eye sufferers and I am certainly one! These are extensively tested, FDA approved, and the decision should be between you and your doctor. These are not novelties, nor are they a passing fad.

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine...ients-17795-1/

I added a link for information. It would not let me do it on the last post.

[Rebecca Petris]

RubyS, I realize on re-reading my post that there was an ambiguity in my phrasing.

I was not questioning their FDA approval status (and I certainly never suggested they are a fad). I've personally followed Synergeyes developments for years because of their potential utility to people with vision damage from lasik or other unusual vision-related requirements, and I've known many people fitted in various versions of Synergeyes over the past few years, some successfully, some not. One was my own sister, who was simply looking for lenses to get better vision from.

What I meant with regard to FDA approval was that to the best of my knowledge Synergeyes are not approved as a dry eye treatment (as opposed to a vision correction device, like other contact lenses). In a forum like this, it's an important distinction and one I think needs to always be emphasized for any "off-label" treatment reports. I gave Azasite as an example. It's FDA approved for bacterial conjunctivitis. However, it has become popular lately as a blepharitis treatment - on an "off-label" basis.

If you know of any other synergeyes wearers who are wearing the lenses specifically as a dry eye treatment, I would love to hear from them or their doctors.

[rubyslippers]

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, I know 2 others using them specifically for dry eye treatment. One was quite happy with her glasses but the doctor convinced them to try Synergyeyes specifically for the dry eyes. I will see if I can get them to come post. One may not have access to a computer except at work and may not be able to frequent chatboards from there. But the other might be willing to.

I know that if these helped change my life so much that they might be really helpful to others. Based on the experiences of my friend and my relative I know that I am not an anamoly where this is concerned. My doctor and his assistant both say that so many people are getting relief. My heart just goes out to people here who suffer so terribly and if these might help them I feel compelled to get the word out. Having moisture on my eye all day long and no air directly touching my eye is just plain heaven. The only downside is that they take some practice to remove and are slightly larger than soft lenses.

[Rebecca Petris]

Ruby... I am and always have been very happy for you with the success you've experienced, and I think it's wonderful that people who have success want to let others know how. After all that's what this board is about, and it's what I'm here for too.

Nevertheless (speaking to everyone here) please do not be surprised or offended, and do not imagine I'm questioning you or your doctor, when I occasionally step in to wrap off-label uses of devices or drugs in cautionary comments until I either see the data or start hearing glowing reports from physicians (hopefully both). With respect to Synergeyes, I believe it's a product with excellent potential for vision, and I look forward to reading and hearing more about the clinical experience of them in relation to dry eye. My sister and several of the LASIK patients I know had adverse experiences (including abrasions in some cases) and this is undoubtedly part of the reason I am cautious about this.

[clairvoyant]

What's with the azasite hate (jk)? Other then the BAK oh yeah and EDTA.

Anyway- are those syngeryeyes or w/e easy to put on? That is my main turn off with the sclerals. They are a pain in my buttwhole to take care of.

[rubyslippers]

They are very easy to put on, but they were tricky to learn to take out until I learned a couple of tips. After 2-3 days I had it down and I don't even think about it anymore. I can almost always get both out in under 30 seconds total. They are as easy to put on as any other soft contact.

[kimby2007]

sclerals

I find removing and inserting sclerals not to be hard especially if u have worn contacts before.

[Rebecca Petris]

Normally sclerals are very easy for me to put in and take out.

I went through a period awhile back though when for the life of me I couldn't get my right lens in my eye in less than 5 tries. I kept having to dry my hands and lids and yank the lid open as wide as I could and even so I had to press quite hard with the inserter until I could feel the lens eventually slipping over my lid margin. Looking back on that now the only explanation I can come up with is that I had some eyelid edema in the mornings (no idea why).