Scleral Lenses and Me: A Complicated Love Story
Okay, I know this might ruffle some feathers—but I’ve got to say it: I hate and love scleral lenses.
Let’s rewind for a second.
🤔 What Are Scleral Lenses?
Scleral lenses are large, gas-permeable lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the white part of the eye (the sclera). They create a smooth surface that helps correct vision for people with keratoconus or irregular corneas. Sounds fantastic. That’s what I thought, too.
🌀 From Hopeful to Hesitant
After being diagnosed with keratoconus, the first step was corneal cross-linking (CXL) to help stabilize my corneas. Once that was done, my doctor said I’d likely need scleral lenses to improve my vision. I froze. My stomach dropped. The idea of messing with my eye made me want to curl into a blanket and pretend it wasn’t happening. Honestly? Placing a giant lens directly onto my eye freaked me out. And don’t even get me started on the removal tool—a mini plunger? If you’re anything like me, you hear the word plunger and immediately think,… toilet, not eyeball.
It took months to get even somewhat comfortable. I tried everything—guided breathing, hypnosis, and even using a green light to help me focus during insertions. Slowly, I made progress. By February 2024, I had completed my second and final CXL. I was feeling hopeful. I could insert the left lens with only minor hiccups—and with it, I had 20/20 vision in one eye and 20/40 in the other. That kind of clarity? It felt like magic.
👀 Then Came the Haze
A few months later, something strange happened. I started noticing a white film over one lens. To be safe, I FaceTimed my doctor—the same one who originally fitted me. During the call, she paused and asked,
“Beverley… can we look at your actual eye itself?” My stomach dropped. I tried to stay calm. “This can be fixed,” I told myself. But something felt off. So, I got a second opinion from a cornea specialist in Nashville—let’s call her Dr. Rapid Fire (because she talks fast and gets straight to the point). After examining me, she said the scarring might be from the lens itself—possibly from the thinness of the cornea. Wait… what?! I had been told these lenses were safe to wear for extended hours. But now I was dealing with a permanent scar on an already vulnerable cornea, like a smudge on glasses that never wipes off.
⚖️ Finding the Middle Ground
Here’s the thing: I love the sharp vision scleral lenses give me and the moisture they add, especially in my left eye. These lenses gave me a glimpse of what it’s like to see the world clearly again. But… they also made me feel off-balance.
Wearing one lens and seeing 20/20 in one eye while seeing 20/50 in the other threw me. I felt dizzy as if the world was speeding up while I stood still. So, I went back to my glasses. They’re not perfect, but I feel more centered. More me. Sometimes, it’s not just about seeing better—it’s about feeling better, too.
🚨 Now What?
I had to stop wearing the left lens entirely and switch to artificial eye drops. After two weeks, some of the Haze cleared—but the scar remains. Now, there’s talk of a corneal transplant. And honestly? I feel betrayed by a tool that was supposed to help.
🧠 Lessons I Wish I Knew Before Starting Scleral Lenses
✅ Before You Start:
Ask your doctor about your corneal thickness—not every eye is a match for scleral lenses.
Be crystal clear about wear time and follow-up plans.
If something feels off—say something. You are your best advocate.
✅ What Helped Me Get Ready for Scleral Lens
Practice, Practice (with Clean Hands!)
Get comfortable moving your hand closer to your eye—small steps matter.
Be Patient with Yourself
This is a whole new world. Grace is essential.
Therapy
My fear was real. Therapy helped me process that anxiety.
Hypnosis (Yes, Really!)
Shoutout to Liberty Hypnosis in Liberty, MO! I was skeptical, but it worked. If people can use it to quit smoking, I figured I could use it to face my lens fear—and I did.
💌 Final Thought
If scleral lenses are in your future, know this: They can be life-changing. But they’re not perfect—and they’re not for everyone.
Ask questions. Trust your gut.
And above all, be kind to yourself through the process.
You’re doing your best with the eyes you’ve got—and that’s more than enough.
And if my corneas had the thickness to handle them long-term?
I’d choose scleral lenses again in a heartbeat.
They gave me a world of clarity—life was unblurred.
