My initial impressions of my new Sclerals lens.

[saralynn143]

I sure hope you have found a solution. Soft lenses would not work for me, due to LASIK my cornea is too flat and the soft lens would cave in and wrinkle.

However, since you are having success with the soft lens, my curiosity is piqued again as to why SynergEyes is not an option. It's a hybrid of a gas permeable center with a soft contact edge in a semi-scleral size.

Keep us posted. The more options we know about, the better.

[Jill Marie]

Hi Jim,

I'm so VERY glad to hear that you found a lens that works for you.   I know you were hoping to have a lens that didn't cause blurry vision but as we both know, we rather have blurry vision then a dry eye and not being able to be out in the wind.  As I've mentioned before I still use ointment with my lens so the vision is blurry.  Might someday try using drops only, not there yet. 

The daily disposable lens doesn't sound that bad, would have jumped at that in a heart beat if I didn't already have my lens as the $180 for 6 months would be WAY cheaper than all the ointment I was using.  If you could get the Insurance company to pay for them it would be really great.  They need to understand that the lenses are for medical reasons not just an alternative to glasses.  I still haven't paid for my lens I got a year and a half ago, doctors office is suppose to be working with my Insurance to see what they can do. 

As Saralynn says, the more we explore our options the better off we and others are.  We are pioneers in this area so everything we do and post about will help those that are dealing with dry eyes now and in the future. 

I too hope that others find this thread, the other threads about the lens are great as well but this one will help those that are reluctant to try or try and don't at first succeed to give it another chance as you did.  I wish it hadn't been such an ordeal for you but it will help inspire others to keep trying to find something that will work for them. 

As long as one or two of the threads about the scleral lens are active I think we are reaching those with dry eyes.  Every now and then I will start a new thread to try and reach out to new members that we can help.

Hope you have a great weekend outside with your new lens!  Jill Marie

[badyellowvette]

The lens is working pretty well. It's just the blurriness that is bothering me. It will clear up with drops but not for long. Sometimes I rub my eye and it clears up. Had some trouble getting it out but that is getting easier.

[saralynn143]

Jim, this is a post outlining a patient's experience with the doctor in Texas I told you about before. He custom fits each scleral but is not as expensive as PROSE. In case you ever need it: http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?20553-Dr-Gemoules-and-my-first-Scleral-Lens

[badyellowvette]

Thanks Saralynn interesting reading. This soft contact doesn't really work very well for me. It works to make my eye to feel better but the blurriness is just too much. I have to see at work and it makes it impossible to use at work, where I need it the most. Also makes it difficult driving, I have to be contently looking for road hazards (bear, deer, elk, turkeys, bobcats, etc)  I came so close to hitting a deer last Friday that he relieved himself all over my windshield, good thing I did not have the lens in or I would not have seen him in time.
Not sure what I will do at my appointment this Wednesday, just give up or keep the lens and use it when I think I can or try something else.    

[saralynn143]

Jim, my suggestion is to press for a reason why the SynergEyes would not work for you. If the soft contact works for comfort but does not give crisp vision, then central RGP portion of the SynergEyes lens would be ideal for you. Ask your practitioner to at least try it. What harm could it cause?

[badyellowvette]

Seen the Eye Doctor today and got the new soft daily wear lens and the blurriness is worst then the monthly lens. Doctor says there is just not enough tears. She's getting yet another soft lens in for me to try. Have 10 of the daily lens to try until then. All the lens I try make my eye feel better I just can't see. She really is trying and seams to care.
She says the hybrid lens doesn't move very much on the eye and would stick to my eye worst then the Scleral lens.

[saralynn143]

Well yes, the scleral lenses and hybrid lenses don't move much on the eye. For those of us with dry eye that's a very good thing because it enables the lenses to keep a pool of saline on our cornea.

But I thought your major problem was removing the lens. With a hybrid, you pinch the soft edge to break the suction.

If I recall correctly (and please correct me if I am wrong) you have had LASIK. I don't see any way for you to get good vision with a soft lens. The top is going to collapse on your flattened cornea.

I just don't get why she won't just try to find out if the SynergEyes lens will work for you since you are getting relief from the soft lens, but not clear vision.

[badyellowvette]

Seen the eye doctor today and yet another soft lens. Same as the others, less then an hour blurry. After the last soft lens my vision went blurry and did not clear up. Doctor had me try FreshKote drops $35 and it did clear up as of today not sure it was the drops. I think I am done with this experiment.

[Kristena]

Thank you all for your stories and keeping these threads active. I recently passed my 1-year anniversary and am starting to realize this might be how my eye will be now. I have an incomplete blink, I tape my eye shut at night (thanks for the tip on Press N Seal--so much easier to remove than paper tape!), I have a punctal plug, but I'm still using drops a couple times an hour. My eye can now cry, but it doesn't tear. I miss my bicycle! I don't see my eye doctor again until late July (he's also handling my Botox), but I am definitely going to ask about options for a lens of some type.

Keep on posting--it's inspirational to read (snorkeling? Wow!)

[badyellowvette]

Kristena, This has helped me at night. You can find them here. $6.75 Very comfortable to sleep with.

http://suppleyes.net/EYE_PADS.html

[Jill Marie]

Hey Jim,  So sorry to hear the lenses aren't working for you.  I can understand your not wanting to deal with this anymore.  Perhaps something else will come along and you will want to try again after a break.  I'm not wearing my lens right now because of an eye infection, looking forward to it going away.  I like the looks of the patch you wear, I just use the old pirate patch with eye pads wrapped in kleenex.  The pads are a bit spendy so I just use the kleenex then toss them.  Do you use anything with the patch?  Think I'll give it a try!  Thanks for sharing!

Kristina,   Feel free to ask us questions we will help as much as we can.  Sara is a fountain of information and the rest of us are always happy to share what works does and doesn't work for us.  I too missed my bicycle, love to ride and appreciate it more now, you will ride again!  Jill

[badyellowvette]

I am still using the Genteal gel at night. I have goggles that let me ride the motorcycle.

http://www.amazon.com/Birdz-Eyewear-Motorcycle-Goggles-Polarised/dp/B00936GVKA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403365085&sr=8-1&keywords=birdz+goggles

[saralynn143]

Jim, I saw my optometrist yesterday. One of the things we discussed was the SynergEyes lens. He said that at this time he is more comfortable keeping me in the regular scleral because I would not benefit from the tear exchange feature of the SynergEyes lens. He did not say it would harm my eye, just that I would not benefit. However, he thought it would be a great choice for my right eye. One of the things he mentioned was that the SynergEyes lens would have more movement than the regular scleral, and if I recall correctly it was a concern for you that it might move less.

Anyway, if you are still interested in pursuing a lens option, they have a contact form at http://www.synergeyes.com/consumer/contact-us/customer-care/ where you could describe your particular situation and ask if they think one of their lenses would be appropriate. Who knows, maybe we can convince them to start a clinical research study for facial paralysis patients.

[badyellowvette]

At my next Doctors appointment I am going  talk her about the Synergeyes, I think it is my last option. And I will contact Synergeyes first. Thanks Saralynn. Jim