What are Scleral Lenses?
What are Sclera Lenses?
There is a huge amount of difference.That extra L at the end totally changes the use and structure!! So yes, a Scleral Contact Lens is significantly different to a Sclera Contact Lens...
Let's explore why:
Scleral Contact Lenses:
This is a medical device of a solid material which sits on the sclera and forms a tear-filled pocket over the cornea. They can improve vision in some people and reduce pain and sensitivity to light for those people who suffer injuries to the eye and that do not respond to typical treatment. By forming that tear-filled pocket it means that the typically rigid material is not sitting directly on the surface of the eye, making it a more comfortable fit for those people with existing conditions.
Modern scleral lenses are actually more commonly polymer materials and highly oxygen permeable. They are very unusual as unlike other contacts they are supported by the sclera (the whites of the eye) and does not rest over the iris or pupil. However this means that they bulge considerably more and can take time to adjust to as the eyelids are not used to the extra mass. The liquid is stored in a small resevoir which is maleable and confirms gegntly to and deformation of the cornea, allowing for vision restoration more comfortably.
We do not sell scleral contact lenses.
Sclera Contact Lenses
These are the type that we sell here at scleracontacts.com
They are special effect contacts of various colours and designs made of a soft material like polymacon and do not contain a fluid reservoir. They do not alter vision and so are not technically "lenses" which are defined as diverging light. As they are non vision correcting, they are not medical devices.
They cover the whole eye are are often found in TV and movies and are growing in popularity in other circles too, like cosplay and drag queen make up, especially as they come down in price. They are typically comfortable to wear and the visual effect produced can be striking. Although they can be custom designed, in the majority of cases they are standard designs to keep them cheap.
How they are similar...?
Apart from them obvioysly both being large, both types can be inserted into the eye from the fingers, or from a hand held plunger. They both need to be kept very clean and stored submerged in sterile saline solution between uses, in an air tight container.