Scleral Lenses in Union City & Newark: Can They Solve Severe Dry Eye When Drops Fail?

If you use artificial tears throughout the day but your eyes still burn, sting, or feel gritty, you may be dealing with more than occasional dryness. Severe dry eye can affect reading, driving, computer work, and even your ability to wear standard contact lenses comfortably.
 

At Morillo Eye Center, we provide advanced dry eye and specialty contact lens care for patients in Union City, Newark, and throughout Northern New Jersey. For certain patients with persistent ocular surface disease, scleral lenses can provide another option when traditional drops are not delivering enough comfort.
 

Why Do Dry Eye Drops Sometimes Fall Short?

Artificial tears can be useful for adding temporary moisture to the eye surface. However, chronic dry eye can involve several underlying problems, including reduced tear production, inflammation, meibomian gland dysfunction, eyelid conditions, or excessive tear evaporation.
 

If the ocular surface remains exposed and irritated despite frequent drops, simply adding more lubrication may not be enough.
 

That is why a dry eye evaluation is important. We need to determine what is causing the symptoms before deciding whether prescription treatments, in-office therapy, scleral lenses, or a combination of approaches makes sense.
 

How Are Scleral Lenses Different From Soft Contacts?

Standard soft contact lenses rest directly on the cornea and depend heavily on the natural tear film for comfort.
 

Scleral lenses are larger rigid gas permeable lenses that vault over the cornea and rest on the white portion of the eye. Before insertion, the lens is filled with preservative-free saline, creating a fluid reservoir between the lens and cornea.
 

For someone with severe dry eye, that reservoir can keep the corneal surface continuously bathed in fluid while the lens is worn.
 

Signs You May Need More Than Artificial Tears

A dry eye or scleral lens evaluation may be worth considering if you experience:
 

• Burning or stinging throughout the day

• Persistent gritty or sandy sensations

• Blurry vision that changes after blinking

• Frequent use of artificial tears with short-lived relief

• Severe contact lens discomfort

• Light sensitivity

• Redness and ocular surface irritation

• Difficulty reading or working on screens comfortably
   

These symptoms can have several causes, so scleral lenses are not automatically the right treatment for everyone.
 

Can Scleral Lenses Actually Treat Dry Eye?

Scleral lenses do not cure the underlying cause of dry eye. Instead, they can protect the ocular surface and maintain a layer of fluid over the cornea during wear.
 

This can make them particularly helpful for patients with more advanced dry eye, irregular corneas, or ocular surface conditions that make conventional contact lenses uncomfortable.
 

Some patients also experience improved visual stability because the smooth lens surface can reduce fluctuations caused by an irregular or unstable tear film.
 

What Other Dry Eye Treatments May Be Needed?

Severe dry eye often requires more than one strategy.
 

Morillo Eye Center provides dedicated dry eye care that may include prescription eye drops, lid hygiene, lifestyle changes, and in-office treatments. For patients with meibomian gland dysfunction and evaporative dry eye, OptiLight IPL may also be considered to address inflammation and improve the environment around the eyelid oil glands.
 

Scleral lenses can be used as part of a broader treatment plan rather than replacing every other form of dry eye care.
 

What Is a Scleral Lens Fitting Like?

Scleral lenses require more customization than standard soft contacts. During the fitting process, we evaluate your corneal shape, ocular surface, prescription, and lens alignment.
 

The goal is to create enough clearance over the cornea while ensuring that the lens rests comfortably and safely on the sclera. Follow-up visits allow us to fine-tune vision, fit, and wearing comfort.
 

Patients also receive instructions on filling, inserting, removing, cleaning, and caring for the lenses properly.
 

If severe dry eye is making everyday activities or traditional contact lens wear uncomfortable, schedule an evaluation with Morillo Eye Center. Visit our Union City office at 418 38th St., Union City, NJ 07087, at (201) 867-0199, or our Newark office at 17 Academy St., Newark, NJ 07102, at (973) 624-2090. We can evaluate the cause of your dry eye and determine whether customized scleral lenses or another advanced dry eye treatment may help provide longer-lasting comfort.