Conquering Keratoconus: How Scleral Contact Lenses Provide Clear Vision for Maryland Residents

For Maryland residents struggling with distorted or unstable vision, scleral contact lenses provide a customized solution. At Special Eye Care, we fit specialty contact lenses for patients in Camp Springs, Upper Marlboro, and surrounding communities who need more than traditional vision correction.
 

How Keratoconus Changes Your Vision

The cornea is the clear front surface of the eye that helps focus light. With keratoconus, the cornea gradually becomes thinner and begins to bulge outward into a cone-like shape. This irregular shape prevents light from focusing evenly, resulting in blurred or distorted vision. Keratoconus is often diagnosed during the teenage years or early adulthood.
 

Common symptoms include:
 

• Blurry or distorted vision
• Frequent prescription changes
• Increasing astigmatism or nearsightedness
• Glare, halos, or difficulty driving at night
• Sensitivity to bright light
• Double vision or ghost images
• Reduced clarity with glasses or standard contact lenses

Symptoms vary based on the shape of the cornea and the progression of the condition. A comprehensive eye examination and detailed corneal measurements help determine the severity of keratoconus and which form of vision correction is appropriate.
 

Why Standard Lenses May Not Be Enough

Traditional glasses correct a prescription in front of the eye, but they do not account for every irregularity across a keratoconus-affected cornea. Soft contact lenses usually follow the existing corneal shape, which can limit the level of visual improvement they provide.
 

Smaller rigid gas permeable lenses can create a smoother optical surface, but some patients have difficulty with lens movement, stability, or comfort. Scleral contact lenses offer a different design that addresses many of these concerns.
 

How Scleral Contact Lenses Work

Scleral lenses are larger than traditional contact lenses. Instead of resting directly on the sensitive cornea, they vault over it and rest on the white portion of the eye, known as the sclera. This design makes scleral lenses well suited for irregular corneas, including those affected by keratoconus.
 

Before insertion, the space between the lens and the cornea is filled with preservative-free saline. This fluid layer creates a smooth optical surface that helps light enter the eye more evenly. As a result, patients often experience sharper and more stable vision than they receive from glasses or standard soft contacts. Research has also found that scleral lens wear can improve visual acuity and quality of life for people with keratoconus.
 

Comfort and Stability for Daily Activities

Because scleral lenses rest on the less sensitive sclera, they can provide greater stability and comfort for many patients. Their larger design helps prevent excessive shifting during blinking or normal daily movement.
 

This stability is especially valuable for Maryland residents who need dependable vision while commuting, working, studying, or participating in recreational activities. The saline reservoir also keeps the corneal surface covered throughout lens wear, which can be helpful for patients who experience dryness or discomfort alongside keratoconus.
 

Why a Custom Scleral Lens Fitting Matters

Every keratoconus-affected eye has a different shape. Scleral lenses are not one-size-fits-all products, so precise measurements and careful fitting are essential. During a specialty contact lens evaluation, we assess the corneal shape, prescription, lens positioning, clearance, comfort, and visual performance.
 

Follow-up appointments allow us to evaluate how the lenses settle on the eyes and make adjustments when needed. Patients also receive instructions for inserting, removing, cleaning, and storing their lenses safely.
 

Scleral contact lenses do not stop keratoconus from progressing, so ongoing eye examinations remain important. However, they provide an effective nonsurgical option for improving functional vision when conventional correction is no longer enough.
 

Schedule your scleral contact lens consultation with Special Eye Care at 5210 Auth Road in Camp Springs or 1441 McCormick Drive in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Call (301) 298-3241 to book your appointment.