What the research says about age
Age wasn’t the deciding factor in the veteran study. A study at one Veterans Affairs medical center followed 120 people fitted with scleral lenses, with an average age of 56.7. About a third (34.2%) stopped wearing them, at a median of 5.2 months. Age didn’t differ significantly between those who continued and those who stopped. Vision improvement and daily wearing time did.[1]
Benefits held across ages in a dry eye clinic. At one clinic using the scleral device PROSE, improvement in symptom scores didn’t differ significantly by age. That analysis covered the 43 patients, out of 134, who completed a follow-up survey.[3]
Neither study was designed to test older adults specifically, so they can’t promise any individual result. But they don’t support the idea that being older on its own makes scleral lenses fail.
What does matter: handling
Insertion and removal are the biggest hurdle at any age. In the veteran study, difficulty with insertion and removal was the most common reason for stopping, accounting for 53.7% of those who stopped. Having a neurologic condition was linked to stopping (an odds ratio of 4.6).[1] In a separate one-year study of 95 wearers, handling problems accounted for 35% of those who stopped.[2]
It does get easier. In that one-year study, people needed significantly fewer attempts to insert and remove their lenses as the months went on. At the first dispensing visit, 36% could insert a lens correctly in under 15 minutes, while 13% needed more than an hour. Those slower starters had worn glasses, soft lenses, or no correction before.[2]
Specific barriers, and what helps. A 2025 review notes that older adults and people with physical disabilities may struggle to handle the lenses. Tremor, finger deformities and peripheral neuropathy make it harder. Poor vision during insertion can lead to mixing up care products.[4] The review describes assistive devices that help: an inserter with a built-in light, useful for people with low vision, and an applicator that gives a stable one-finger platform.[4]
Practical guides:
- Shaky or stiff hands
- Can’t see the mirror without glasses
- Inserters and removers
- Small or deep-set eyes
- Is it hard to put scleral lenses in?
What your fitter will check
The cornea’s inner layer. The endothelium, the cell layer that keeps the cornea clear, can have fewer cells in older eyes and after eye surgery. A 2025 review lists a low endothelial cell count, including in older patients, as a relative or absolute reason not to wear a scleral lens, depending on severity.[4] Ask whether yours has been checked.
The tissue the lens rests on. Conjunctival prolapse, where loose conjunctiva is drawn under the lens edge, is more common in older patients because their conjunctiva is naturally looser. It’s usually harmless but can become a problem, and changes to the lens edge and landing zone can help.[4]
Other conditions and medicines. Bring a list of your diagnoses and medicines. Glaucoma, diabetes, arthritis and dry eye all affect the plan, and each has its own page in this section.
Common questions
Is there an upper age limit for scleral lenses?
Not that we've found in the research. Decisions are based on what the lens needs to do for your eye, the health of your cornea and eye surface, and whether you, or someone helping you, can handle and care for the lenses safely.
Can a family member put my lenses in for me?
Some people rely on a partner or carer. If that's your plan, bring them to the training visit so they learn insertion, removal and the hygiene steps directly from your fitter, and so your fitter can check they're comfortable doing it.
I've worn scleral lenses for years. Should anything change as I get older?
Keep up with your follow-up visits. Your fitter will watch for changes in your cornea, the conjunctiva the lens rests on, and your prescription, and will adjust the lens or your routine if needed. Tell them about new health conditions or medicines, and about any new trouble with your hands or eyesight.