ESCRS - PO148 - Visual Rehabilitation Using Mini Scleral Contact Lenses In Patients With Corneal Scars

Visual Rehabilitation Using Mini Scleral Contact Lenses In Patients With Corneal Scars

Published 2024 - 42nd Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: PO148 | Type: Case Report | DOI: 10.82333/h05b-bs79

Authors: Léonard Kollros* 1 , Emilio A. Torres-Netto 2 , Nan-Ji Lu 3 , Mark Hillen 3 , Farhad Hafezi 4

1ELZA Institute,Dietikon,Switzerland;University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW),Olten,Switzerland, 2ELZA Institute,Dietikon,Switzerland;University of Zurich,Zurich,Switzerland;University of Geneva,Geneva,Switzerland, 3ELZA Institute,Dietikon,Switzerland, 4ELZA Institute,Dietikon,Switzerland;University of Zurich,Zurich,Switzerland;University of Geneva,Geneva,Switzerland;NYU Langone Health,New York,United States;Wenzhou Medical University,Wenzhou,China

Purpose

This case series illustrates the efficacy of mini scleral contact lenses (mSCL) in improving visual acuity in patients with corneal scars that impair vision and induce corneal irregularities.

Setting

ELZA Institute, Zurich, Switzerland

Report of case

We conducted a case series study involving six patients. Each presented with corneal scars located within the scotopic pupillary zone, impacting corneal transparency and creating significant corneal irregularities. The study evaluated the extent of visual acuity improvement when fitting these patients with mSCLs.

mSCLs were fitted on six eyes of six patients who had corneal scars. These scars were located within the scotopic pupillary zone along the visual axis. The scars varied in size, ranging from a small central corneal area to the largest, which extended across the entire visual axis. In addition to affecting corneal transparency, these scars caused notable irregularities in the cornea, particularly in cases 1, 3, and 4. The average corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) with spectacles was 20/80, varying between 20/200 and 20/40. When utilizing mSCLs, CDVA showed improvement, averaging 20/25 and ranging from 20/40 to 20/16. The observed enhancement in mean visual acuity was five optotype lines, with a range of 3 to 7 lines.

Conclusion/Take home message

Patients with corneal scars often encounter significant visual impairment due to increased higher-order aberrations (HOA) and subsequent optical distortions, including photophobia. The application of mSCLs in these cases has demonstrated considerable improvement in both visual acuity and quality, suggesting a substantial benefit for individuals with visually significant corneal scarring.