The firm rules
A few things aren’t negotiable, whatever else is going on in your day.
- No water on your lenses. Not tap, bottled, distilled, pool, hot tub, lake, or ocean water.[2]
- No sleeping in them. Not overnight, and not a nap on the couch.
- Backup glasses, always. Keep a pair with a current prescription in case you need to take your lenses out.[1]
- Follow your wearing schedule. A lens can feel fine past the point your fitter considers safe.
Everything else is about planning ahead.
Work and screens
Many people wear scleral lenses through a full working day. In a year-long study, people new to scleral lenses averaged 11.1 hours of wear a day by the twelve-month mark, though your own schedule is set by your fitter.[5]
- Keep a small kit at your desk: a few saline vials, your remover and inserter, a clean case with solution, and your glasses. If a lens pops out, fogs, or feels uncomfortable, you can deal with it on the spot.
- If your vision fogs partway through the day, tell your fitter. Some wearers have a planned midday removal and refill as part of their routine, but that’s a decision for your fitter.
- Tell your employer you wear contact lenses. Some jobs require eye protection, and some may require that you don’t wear lenses.[1]
Travel
- Pack more than you think you’ll need. Extra saline vials, a backup of every solution, a spare plunger and inserter, a spare case, and your glasses.
- Keep it all in your carry-on. Checked bags get delayed.
- Think about flying in glasses. Cabin air is dry, it’s easy to fall asleep on a flight, and removing lenses in an airplane bathroom is awkward. Many wearers put their lenses in after landing.
- Never use tap water to rinse lenses or cases, even when you’re traveling.[2]
- Find out how to reach your fitter while you’re away, and note an urgent care option near where you’re staying.
Sports and exercise
You can usually exercise in scleral lenses. Ask your eye care professional about the safest option for your sport.[1] If there’s any chance of a hit to the face, from a ball, a racket, or an elbow, wear sports goggles or safety glasses over your lenses. Keep a small kit in your gym bag in case a lens needs to come out.
Swimming, showers, and hot tubs
Remove your lenses before swimming. Water in pools, hot tubs, lakes, and the ocean carries a risk of eye infection.[2] Tap and distilled water have been linked to Acanthamoeba keratitis, a corneal infection that is hard to treat.[2]
The simplest habit is to shower before your lenses go in and after they come out. If water does get on a lens, remove it, clean and disinfect it as your fitter showed you, and call if your eye becomes red or painful.
Makeup and grooming
- Lenses in first, then makeup. Put cosmetics on after your lenses are in.[1]
- Lenses out first, then makeup off. Remove your lenses before you remove makeup.[1]
- Sprays before lenses. Use hairspray, cologne, and spray deodorant before you put your lenses in.[1]
- Choose oil-free products. Oils and lotions on your hands or around your eyes can end up on the lens. Wash with plain, non-moisturizing soap before handling lenses.
Naps and sleep
Take your lenses out before any sleep, including a short nap. Across contact lens wearers, sleeping in lenses raises the risk of eye infection six- to eightfold, and even occasional overnight wear carries risk.[3] Scleral lenses add a concern of their own: because they’re large and little tear fluid moves under them, oxygen reaching the cornea is already reduced during wear.[4] If you’re likely to doze off, on the couch, on a long drive as a passenger, or on a plane, take your lenses out first.
Medicines and eye drops
Ask your eye doctor before using any medicine or eye product, including drops sold without a prescription. Some can affect your vision or irritate your eyes.[1] Nothing but sterile, preservative-free saline goes inside the lens.
Smoking
The FDA notes that contact lens wearers who smoke have a higher rate of problems than nonsmokers.[1]
Keep a kit wherever you spend time
A small zippered pouch with a few saline vials, an inserter and remover, a small bottle of multipurpose solution, a clean case, and your glasses covers most surprises. Keep one in your car, at your desk, and in your gym bag. Keep an unopened backup of every product at home, too: running out is when people are tempted to use something they shouldn’t.
For the morning and evening steps, see the scleral lens daily routine. For what to do when a lens comes out unexpectedly, see the lens popped out during the day.
Common questions
Can I wear scleral lenses on a plane?
Ask your fitter. Cabin air is dry, it's easy to doze off, and removing lenses in a cramped airplane bathroom is hard, so many wearers travel in glasses and put lenses in after they arrive. Pack your supplies in your carry-on either way.
Can I shower with scleral lenses in?
Keep water away from your lenses. The FDA advises against exposing contact lenses to any water, including tap water. Many wearers put lenses in after showering and take them out before. If water does get in your eye, ask your fitter what they want you to do.
Can I wear eye makeup?
Yes, with a few habits. Put makeup on after your lenses are in, take your lenses out before removing makeup, and use hairspray or other sprays before your lenses go in. Oil-free products are less likely to leave a film on the lens.
Can I use regular eye drops with scleral lenses?
Ask your eye doctor before using any medicine or eye product, even ones sold without a prescription. Some can affect your vision or irritate your eyes.
Can I wear scleral lenses for sports?
Many people do. Ask your eye care professional about the safest option for your sport, and wear protective eyewear if there's any risk of impact. Never wear them swimming.