Scleral lens orientation dots can be hard to see
Many of us have orientation dots on our scleral lenses that we have to place at the 12 o'clock (or 6 o'clock, depending on our instructions) position in order for our lenses to settle correctly into place. [NOTE: Not everyone has orientation dots; some people just have a dot to distinguish right from left lens. If you are unsure, please call your lens provider for clarification.]
However, if your vision is poor enough to need sclerals, it can be very hard to see them especially when they begin wearing off.
Reader CATHLEEN shared the following story and tip!
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Wanted to share with you all an insight that I discovered after many months of struggling with my scleral lenses!
I thought I had keratoconus at first, but I actually just have screwed up corneas, can’t remember name of exact diagnosis, but the scleral lenses have given me the ability to drive again and not feel like I’m going to hit someone because I can’t read road signs or see stoplights without seeing four or five iterations of them!
Unfortunately, the vision correction for reading in my sclerals did not work for me at all, so I have to use reader glasses to read phone, computer, books, papers, etc.
It took several months of struggling for sometimes 20 minutes to get used to putting the sclerals in my eyes AND finding the tiny dots on the lenses so I could make sure they were on the bottom.
All of a sudden one day I put on my readers to find the dots on the lenses, and I had an epiphany! That’s how I find the dots! Can’t believe it took me so long to figure that out!!!
So please tell all your new scleral folks out there that if they struggle to find the dots, to buy a cheap pair of readers, mine are 2.50 strength, and I bought them at the dollar store for $1.25! They made all the difference in the world in locating those tiny little dots! I just love your website Rebecca, and it has been a source of so much incredible information and encouragement to me and I can’t thank you enough!
Cathleen
I have lost 70% of my cornea in one eye.
The scleral lens does an amazing job of keeping the pain away. It doesn’t improve the vision. I use a an LED magnifying glass to see the dot.
Once the saline is in the lens that dot cannot be found. Before I fill it I have the dot directly facing me. Mine requires the dot to be at the 6 o’clock position.
When I get it in, I have no way of telling or knowing if the dot is really in the 6 o’clock position. For all I know it could be anywhere between 3 and 9.
Are there any tips of getting it at 6 and knowing it is correct? Or am I just over thinking this?
I’ll try it. I have one little line on the right lens and two on the left, both to be placed in the 6 o’clock position. I have a terrible time. I insert the left lens first using a flashlight to find the lines, and then a magnifying glass to find the lines on the right lens. (I insert the left lens by hand but use a stand to insert the right lens.) The right lens is harder to insert so it’s very unsettling to spend a lot of time finding the lines, only to have the lens fall out. I’ve taken as long as 45 minutes to get the lenses in. A mark with a Sharpie was suggested but it wears off after a couple of insertions. I’ll try reading glasses. Thank you!
Hi, I knew there was a dot on my right lens only. It’s to distinguish that it is the right contact but I did not know there’s a certain way to put it on more information about that please
I never knew that I had any dots.
I will look for them.
Thank you. Karin