Scleral Contact Lens

Learn About Scleral Contact Lens

Scleral contact lenses  are thin acrylic “shells” that often fit over existing eyes, much like a hard contact lens. Many people are unaware that scleral contact lenses can help both those who have suffered serious eye trauma, as well as those people who simply have unsightly (not great looking) eyes, but perfect vision. At the office of John Stolpe, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality scleral contact lens product, both visually and in terms of fit.

Scleral Contact Lens Consultation

The first step in creating a scleral contact lens is to come into the office for a preliminary consultation. The ocularist will evaluate each person’s unique situation and make a recommendation as to how to proceed. The next step is to have an impression taken of the eye. This impression is much like a dental impression taken at an orthodontist’s office, but taken in the ocular cavity rather than the mouth. Many people find the impression to be the most uncomfortable part of the process, but your ocularist will walk you through how to prepare properly so that you are as comfortable as possible.

At the office of John Stolpe, the iris we create is one of the highest quality irises available anywhere on the market. We are pioneering the manufacture of digital irises in the ocularist field by using an extremely high quality digital camera to replicate with great fidelity a patient’s existing eye. The patient’s veining pattern is reproduced with red silk threads. Read more about our pioneering work in manufacturing digital irises here.

We work on refining the shape of the scleral contact lens over, sometimes, a course of several meetings. Ideally, when we are done, you will have an extremely natural looking scleral contact lens that mimics the movement of the seeing eye.

Scleral Contact Lens Fitting Process

It is important to be aware, however, that the fitting process of a scleral contact lens may sometimes involve elective surgery. For example, to get the absolutely ideal fit, a patient may have their eyelid lifted by an oculplastic surgeon either before, or after their scleral contact lens fitting. For this reason, it is important to select an ocularist who has excellent, established relationships with other skilled ocular professionals. Getting the best fit for a scleral contact lens is often a team effort, and John Stolpe prides himself on close relationships with a wide range of consummate professionals.

Scleral Contact Lens in Los Angeles, CA

John Stolpe is a third generation ocularist, who is proud of his family’s history of innovation in the field. His grandfather pioneered the shift from glass for artificial eyes, to the modern day acrylics now used. John strives to marry technology and artistry in the pieces he creates for his patients, pushing forward the innovative work of his family. He believes a kind, approachable bedside manner is extremely important in creating the best possible pieces for his patients. Above all, John Stolpe gets great satisfaction from helping people live “under the radar” lives, so that they can go about their day completely unnoticed by others. We look forward to hearing from you soon and helping you live an easier, happier, more “normal” life.

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