Scleral & Specialty Contact Lenses | Keratoconus & Dry Eye | Frederick, MD

Specialty Contact Lenses in Middletown, MD

Customized Vision Solutions For Superior Vision

Not everyone can achieve clear, comfortable vision with traditional glasses or soft contact lenses. For patients with irregular corneas, complex prescriptions, chronic dry eye, or difficulty wearing conventional contacts, specialty contact lenses may be the perfect solution!

At Phillips Family Vision, we provide individualized specialty contact lens fittings using advanced lens designs tailored to the unique shape, health, and visual needs of your eyes.

Our specialty contact lens options include rigid gas permeable (RGP), piggyback, hybrid, and scleral contact lenses.

Scleral Contact Lenses: Advanced Comfort and Clarity

Scleral lenses are among the most sophisticated contact lens options available today.

Unlike traditional contacts that rest directly on the cornea, scleral lenses are larger, custom-designed lenses that gently rest on the white portion of the eye (the sclera). They vault over the sensitive corneal surface, creating a protective reservoir of moisture between the lens and the eye.

This unique design can provide exceptional visual clarity, improved comfort, and relief for patients who have struggled with other types of contact lenses.

What Conditions Can Scleral Lenses Help Treat?

Keratoconus and Irregular Astigmatism

Keratoconus causes the cornea to become progressively thinner and more cone-shaped, producing distorted vision that glasses and standard contacts may not adequately correct. Scleral lenses create a smooth optical surface that can dramatically improve vision for many patients with keratoconus or irregular astigmatism.

Severe Dry Eye Disease

For patients with moderate to severe dry eye, scleral lenses can provide more than vision correction. Their fluid-filled reservoir helps keep the cornea continuously hydrated while the lenses are worn. For severe dryness, this can sometimes be the best method of protecting the eye, so that the patient can see without pain.

Scleral lenses may be particularly beneficial for patients who have not found sufficient relief with artificial tears, prescription dry eye medications, or other treatments.

Corneal Scarring and Previous Eye Surgery

Corneal scars, injuries, transplants, and certain refractive surgeries can leave the corneal surface irregular. Scleral lenses may help restore clearer vision by compensating for these irregularities.

Complex Ocular Surface Conditions

Scleral lenses may also be used in the management of conditions such as Sjögren's syndrome, exposure keratopathy, neurotrophic keratitis, and certain other diseases that affect the health and integrity of the corneal surface.

By maintaining a protective layer of fluid over the cornea, scleral lenses can support ocular surface health while also correcting vision.

Premium Zenlens® Scleral Lenses by Bausch + Lomb

At Phillips Family Vision, we fit Zenlens® scleral lenses by Bausch + Lomb, a best in class specialty lens, highly customizable lens system designed for patients with both regular and complex corneal shapes.

Zenlens represents some of the most advanced technology available in modern scleral lens design.

Its sophisticated customization options allow us to make precise adjustments to lens shape, alignment, and fit, helping us address the individual challenges of each patient's eyes.

Features of the Zenlens system include:

• Advanced customization: Lens designs can be individually adjusted to accommodate unique corneal and scleral anatomy.

• Precise alignment: Specialized design technology helps achieve a stable, comfortable fit.

• Excellent optical quality: A smooth, rigid optical surface can provide sharper, more consistent vision for patients with irregular corneas.

• Ocular surface protection: The fluid reservoir helps maintain moisture over the cornea during wear.

• Options for complex eyes: Advanced design features allow customization for patients whose eyes are particularly challenging to fit.

For patients who have previously been told they cannot wear contact lenses, or who have struggled to achieve comfortable, clear vision, Zenlens may offer an exciting alternative.

Other Specialty Contact Lens Options

Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses

RGP lenses are custom-designed, oxygen-permeable contacts that maintain their shape on the eye, providing a crisp, stable optical surface.

They can be particularly effective for patients with high astigmatism, keratoconus, irregular corneas, and prescriptions that are difficult to correct with standard soft contacts.

Piggyback Contact Lens Systems

A piggyback system combines two contact lenses: a soft lens worn underneath a rigid gas permeable lens.

The soft lens provides a cushioning layer, while the rigid lens supplies the optical clarity needed to correct irregular vision.

This approach can be especially helpful for patients who benefit from RGP optics but experience discomfort wearing a rigid lens directly on the cornea.

Hybrid Contact Lenses

Hybrid lenses combine a rigid gas permeable center with a surrounding soft lens skirt.

The rigid center provides sharp, stable vision, while the soft outer portion can improve comfort and lens stability.

Hybrid lenses may be an excellent option for certain patients with high astigmatism, keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, or difficulty tolerating traditional RGP lenses.

A Personalized Approach to Specialty Contact Lens Fitting

Specialty contact lenses are not one-size-fits-all.

A successful fit requires careful evaluation of the eye's shape, visual needs, ocular surface health, and response to different lens designs.

At Phillips Family Vision, we take an individualized approach to determining which specialty lens technology is most appropriate for each patient.

Our goal is not simply to fit a contact lens, but to help patients achieve the best possible combination of clear vision, comfort, and long-term eye health.

Could Specialty Contact Lenses Help You?

You may benefit from a specialty contact lens consultation if:

• Your vision remains blurry or distorted despite updated glasses.

• You have chronic dry eye that makes normal life uncomfortable.

• You've had corneal surgery, a transplant, injury or keratoconus.

• You've been told your eyes are difficult to fit with contacts.

• You've tried conventional contact lenses without success.

​​​​​​​Schedule a Specialty Contact Lens Consultation

Discover whether RGP, piggyback, hybrid, or premium Zenlens scleral lenses are right for your eyes.