Scleral Lenses for Keratoconus: What One Month of Wear Did for Vision and Dry Eye Symptoms in a Small Study

In keratoconus, the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape. That irregular surface distorts light, so glasses often cannot give clear vision. Scleral lenses are large, rigid gas-permeable lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the white of the eye. The space underneath is filled with saline, creating a smooth new optical surface. A small study published in October 2026 looked at how much they helped vision, and what happened to dry eye measures, over a month.

What the researcher did

In this prospective study from Saudi Arabia, 18 people with keratoconus were fitted with scleral lenses in both eyes and asked to wear them at least 8 hours a day for one month. One eye per person was studied. Vision, a dry eye symptom questionnaire (OSDI), tear production (Schirmer test), and tear breakup time were measured.

What the study found

• Vision improved immediately when the lenses went in. On average, eye-chart scores went from about 20/100 to about 20/25 equivalent, and the gain held at one month.
• Dry eye symptom scores dropped substantially, from about 45 to about 25.
• Tear production and tear breakup time increased modestly.
• All 18 participants completed follow-up, and no complications were reported.

Keep it in perspective

This was a small study with no comparison group, so the author notes the dry eye changes should be seen as associations rather than proof that the lenses caused them. One month is also short; long-term comfort and eye health need ongoing follow-up.

Tips for scleral lens wearers

• Use only the preservative-free saline your fitter recommends to fill the lens.
• Learn proper insertion and removal tools and techniques, and clean lenses as instructed.
• Report foggy vision, redness, or pain; fit adjustments are common, especially early on.
• Keep regular exams so your doctor can check the cornea and how the keratoconus is behaving over time.

For more plain-language reading on eye health, see thousandoakslasik.com.

Source: Changes in Visual Acuity and Dry Eye Parameters Following One Month of Scleral Lens Wear in Patients with Keratoconus: A Prospective Observational Study from Saudi Arabia (Healthcare (Basel) (PubMed), 10/03/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.