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keratoconus

Understanding Scleral Lenses

While they are lenses, scleral lenses are specially designed to offer better performance than traditional contact lenses do. For starters, just like conventional contact lenses, the scleral lenses can and are used to correct vision. However, they are also used to restore the ocular surface even when other treatment options have failed.

As such, patients who are uncomfortable or do not get good vision using traditional contact lenses or glasses, or patients looking to treat certain eye ailments can turn to scleral lenses as a treatment option. In fact, while scleral lenses began as a specialty treatment option, they are now widespread and as popular as other treatment options, even for individuals with normal corneas.

Scleral contact lenses are custom-made for each patient’s eye which set them apart from regular contact lenses. When custom designing the lenses, each lens is fitted and shaped to vault over the cornea, thereby retaining a constant reservoir of fluid between the cornea and the lens. This, in turn, ensures that the users’ eyes remain hydrated all through while wearing the lenses. Additionally, the reservoir fluid helps to compensate the natural irregularities that a cornea may have, thereby enhancing one’s vision.

At Fusion Eye Care, we have specialized in fitting the scleral lenses. We design and make lenses that are highly permeable to oxygen which improves the comfort levels our patients get. However, we also ensure that our lenses achieve high-quality vision improvement, much the same as the rigid gas permeable lenses do. As such, our patients end up with soft lens comfort and improved comfort. In most cases, our patients say they do not feel the lenses at all, despite wearing them for hours.

Scleral Contact Lenses Design

For the scleral contact lenses, they tend to have a larger diameter. As such, while they are designed to vault over corneas, their larger design allows them to sit on the sclera – the white part of the eye. Consequently, users benefit from improved vision and at the same time, they enjoy better comfort as the lenses do not sit on the cornea. Typically, lenses that sit on the cornea are uncomfortable and more so among individuals who suffer from corneal irritation or individuals whose corneas are irregularly shaped.

As you can appreciate, such as lens design has numerous health benefits. They correct distorted and blurred vision, they promote the healing of the ocular surface, and they also protect the cornea from the eyelids and the general environment. Therefore, when compared to other lens designs, these are the best lenses on the market.

At Fusion Eye Care, we are passionate about our work and we fully appreciate that our products have the potential of improving our patients’ quality of life. As such, we work closely with each of our patients to get an optimal fit for the specialty scleral lenses. To furthermore differentiate ourselves from other eye-care providers, we have taken a keen interest in understanding what is needed to develop scleral lenses for patients with corneal irregularities. Therefore, regardless of the state of your eyes, you can rest assured that we will come up with a solution for you.

Importantly, we are constantly updating and expanding our knowledge of the lens technology. Our mission is to provide the best and greatest lens technology as a solution for their vision problems. At this point in time, the scleral lenses are the best lens technology available for the mass market. As such, we have made this our focus.

Conditions That Scleral Lenses Treat

  • Dry Eye Syndrome
  • Corneal dystrophies and degenerations
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
  • Chemical and burn injuries
  • Keratoconus and ectasia
  • Post-corneal transplant
  • Eyelid abnormalities
  • Radial Keratotomy (RK)
  • Sjogren’s Syndrome
  • Graft vs Host Disease
  • Corneal ectasia (and many other complications arising from LASIK)

Scleral Cost

The cost of the lenses is not constant as they are customized for individuals. Therefore, the price of these lenses will vary from individual to individuals. Contact us with your questions.

Using Scleral Lenses

For individuals who have been wearing contact lenses, it will take some time to get used to these lenses. This is because the lenses sit differently and occupy a different position, hence the putting in and removal procedures for this particular lenses is different from the typical lenses. However, if you are new to contact lenses, you will get used to using them quite fast.

To learn more about scleral lenses, please call us today at (919) 977-7480. Dr. Bassiri and the Fusion Eye Care team look forward to ensuring you get help with your scleral lenses.

Improve Your Sports Vision Skills At Home!

The types of visual skills necessary for you to improve your performance will depend on the type or types of sports that you are involved in.

As an example, someone who plays soccer will need to work on eye-foot coordination whereas a golfer should focus on eye-hand coordination.

No matter what type of playing court, field or dojo you use, it is essential that you have developed a sort of visual memory pattern that will allow you to determine the best move for you to make based on countless micro-cues.

Of course, not all sports require that type of memory, such as activities that are static in nature and performed individually, such as bowling.

Peripheral vision is essential to those who play football, basketball and other contact sports. Eye-foot coordination is an essential skill for many sports, including tennis and hockey. Likewise, some folks need to focus their efforts on discerning contrasts. For instance, snow skiing requires the ability to differentiate between various types of shadows.

Important Visual Skills For Sports

Try out these exercises at home for better visual acuity:

Focus Flexibility – In order to perform well, your eyes must be able to quickly switch focus from a distant object to one close by. Those who are 40+ often notice that their ability to do this is compromised, which requires that they wear some type of corrective lens to see well.

While you can’t change the natural course of aging, everyone can work on this skill for improved visual abilities. Simply look back and forth from near to far objects, attempting to switch focus quickly. Make sure that you can see clearly before you switch back.

Suggestion: If you spend a bunch of time on the computer, look away to a distant object frequently throughout your session. This is a great way to work on your focus flexibility while also reducing some of the eye strain that is commonly caused by staring at a screen for too long.

Peripheral Awareness – Can you see what is going on to either side of you? Your peripheral vision allows you to see these things without having to turn your head. Your eye doctor can perform a test to see how well your peripheral vision works. This painless test involves simple lights being lit around the sides of your head to determine how far you can see.

Suggestion: If you want to work on this, watch your next cat video with your face at an angle to the screen. Practice seeing the details of videos and movies from the side of your head. Don’t forget to work both sides for improving and balancing your visual prowess.

Dynamic Visual Acuity – This aspect of sight lets you take note of things that are happening really fast. Even if you have perfect vision while sitting in the doctor’s office, that doesn’t mean that you have a high level of dynamic visual acuity. It is important that you have this tested.

Serious Athletic Vision Training

A vision specialist who works with athletes is your best choice for finding out the strengths and weaknesses of your vision. Then, a comprehensive plan can be made to further enhance your performance. And as an added bonus, if you happen to ever need a keratoconus specialist, then you’ll have one able and ready.

4 Tips On How You Can Get The Most Out Of Your VSP Vision Insurance

Having VSP vision insurance is a blessing for so many people in North Carolina, but if you don’t use it the right way then you’re just not going to get the most benefit out of it. Here’s some solid advice on what you can do to get the most out of your insurance:

  1. Avoid Settling For Eyewear That Is Second Rate

A stand out feature of having VSP vision benefits has to do with the fact that you won’t need to compromise when it comes to choosing eyeglasses, especially when it comes to choosing the lenses.

Even though appearance plays an important role, the more valuable aspect about eyeglasses is not how fashionable the frames are; it’s more to do with the vision that these lenses can provide.

Features such as anti-reflective coatings or photochromic lenses along with the latest of the progressive lenses are more than often vital if you after the most comfortable and clearest vision possible.

However, added costs for these types of premium products often fall out of your budget, if you do not have those vision-insurance benefits like the type of offer through the VSP plan.

The VSP vision benefit plan is essentially similar to a type of gift card. It can make more superior eyeglass lenses along with frames a lot more affordable. While you may be saving a couple of dollars when you buy unfamiliar “private brand” or no-name lenses, with VSP benefits, you can probably afford those premium brands that offer a more comfortable and clearer vision.

  1. Do You Wear Contacts? You Will Also Need Glasses

Most people, especially young adults and teenagers, make the mistake of thinking that contact lenses and glasses are the “either-or” decision. The thought pattern is if you are wearing contacts, you don’t need glasses.

Well even when you can wear your contact lenses comfortably throughout the day, it is still very important that you also have quality and up-to-date glasses.

Even the most comfortable and premium contact-lenses decrease oxygen levels that can reach the cornea. This will eventually result in issues such as blurred vision, discomfort, redness or even worse a serious eye infection.

To make sure your eyes remain comfortable, clear and comfortable, and that you don’t need keratoconus treatment in the future, you need to give your eyes a break when your day comes to an end and remove your contacts 1 to 2 hours before going to sleep.

Most people will experience contact lenses that become dry or less comfortable when they spend long hours in front of computers along with other types of digital devices. If you experience these issues, you should be switching to your glasses for a some of your “screen time,” this will ensure your eyes feel better and look better.

VSP benefits also make it an affordable option to purchase glasses as the alternative or back-up to your prescription contact lenses. In fact, most people that wear contact lenses find that their eyes are a lot more comfortable when they decrease the time frame that they wear their contact lenses and choose to wear glasses for a portion of their day. This option also allows for a way to enjoy the fashion of wearing glasses over contact lenses for different occasions.

A Tip: if you do wear contact lenses, you need to ensure you choose AR (anti-reflective) lenses when it comes to your glasses. The AR lenses offer a reflection-free and more natural vision that you are used to with your contacts.

  1. Invest In Computer Glasses

According to the latest Vision Council report, around 68% of Americans experience some form of digital eye-strain due to the number of hours that they spend using smartphones, computers, and e-readers. Most of these uncomfortable symptoms are easy to relieve with the eyeglass-type specifically prescribed for use with digital devices, better known as computer glasses.

If you are currently wearing progressive lenses or bifocals, switch to glasses that have single-vision lenses, which are designed specifically for distances between your screen and your eyes, which also contribute to making your neck and eyes feel more comfortable while you are using your computer.

Your VSP benefits also make this option a lot more affordable!

A Tip: When you use digital devices, the lenses that feature anti-reflective coatings offer an additional level of clarity and comfort. Also, if you are using digital devices on a frequent basis, chooses the lenses that will protect the eyes from high-energy blue-light which is also potentially harmful. Ask the eye-care professional that you use for more information.

  1. Supplement The VSP Coverage That You Have With HSA (Health Savings Account)

Caring for your eyes is extremely important, yet eyewear of quality is not cheap. None of the vision insurances will cover all the costs associated with your eye-exam, contact lenses, and eyeglasses, particularly when you have chosen the best type of eyewear.

An HSA (health savings account), offers you a way to set-aside your pre-tax dollars every time you get paid, which you can then use for any health-related expense that your Vision Insurance fails to cover. This includes your contact lenses and eyeglasses. Also, you won’t have to be concerned about losing money in an HSA, when the year comes to an end as the balance will roll-over to the next year.

Discuss these options with your HR representative at your place of work to make sure your HSA is the best choice for your needs.

Remember That VSP Benefits Are There To Use- Avoid Passing Up On Them!