The Importance of a Scleral Lens Edge Profile

Background: In the world ofspecialty contact lenses, the number ofpractitioners fitting patients in scleral lenses has greatly increased, due to the ability ofthese lenses to fully vault over the cornea and treat corneal diseases from keratoconus to keratoconjunctivitis
sicca. Each manufacturer offers their own fitting guide and all have a unique edge design, which can make fitting these lenses especially difficult ifpractitioners are unfamiliar with each and every manufacturer. Methods: We used an anterior segment optical coherence tomography to create cross sectional images ofeach manufacturer's lens to determine how they fit and had the subject grade the lenses according to subjective comfort. We focused on and measured the central vault, edge profile, lens thickness, limbal clearance, and weight distribution in relation to lens awareness. Results: Our study suggests that the scleral lens contact length, edge thickness, and weight distribution were all factors in predicting lens awareness and comfort for the patient. Conclusions: We hope that this study not only shows the intricacies ofeach scleral lens used, but parlays how the edge profiles are important determinants in predicting patient comfort while wearing the lens.