If you’ve been diagnosed with keratoconus, you’ve probably discovered that regular eyeglasses or standard soft contacts don’t always provide the clear, comfortable vision you need. That’s because keratoconus changes the shape of your cornea (the clear front surface of your eye) causing it to thin and bulge into a cone-like shape. This irregular shape makes light spread instead of focusing to a point, leading to glare, smeared, flared, ghosted, overlapped, starbursts, blurred, distorted, or double vision.
But here’s the good news: today’s custom-fit contact lenses for keratoconus are designed to mask your cornea’s unique shape and help you see clearly again.
At CLEI, we specialize in fitting keratoconus contact lenses using advanced technology and decades of experience. Whether you’re new to contacts or looking for an upgrade from your current lenses, here’s what to expect from the process.
Why Custom Contact Lenses Are Essential for Keratoconus
Every eye with keratoconus is different. The degree of corneal thinning, the steepness of the cone, and the pattern of distortion vary widely, even between your two eyes. That’s why special contact lenses for keratoconus are not one-size-fits-all.
Instead, they’re custom-made to your cornea’s exact shape, providing both comfort and clear vision. A precise fit helps stabilize the lens and prevent irritation or slipping, which are common with standard lenses.
Types of Contact Lenses for Keratoconus
There are several categories of keratoconus contacts, each with its own benefits depending on how advanced your condition is and how your eyes respond.
1. Soft Contact Lenses for Keratoconus
Special soft contact lenses for keratoconus can be custom-shaped for mild to moderate cases of keratoconus.
They’re often larger and thicker than regular soft lenses, helping mask some of the corneal irregularities while maintaining comfort. Patients who are new to contact lenses or struggled with rigid lenses can be candidates.
2. Hard (RGP) Contact Lenses for Keratoconus
Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses — often called hard contact lenses for keratoconus — are one of the most effective solutions for moderate to advanced stages.
Unlike soft lenses, RGP lenses hold their shape on the eye, creating a smooth optical surface that covers the irregularities of the cornea. This provides sharper vision and better control over distortion, halos, or ghosting around lights.
Some patients find RGP lenses require a short adjustment period, but modern designs and materials have greatly improved their comfort.
3. Hybrid Contact Lenses
Hybrid lenses combine an RGP center for crisp vision and a soft outer ring for improved comfort and stability. They’re a good option for patients with mild keratoconus who need the optics of a hard lens but have had a hard time adapting to the comfort of a RGP..
4. Scleral Lenses
Scleral lenses are larger than standard contacts and rest on the white part of your eye (the sclera), vaulting completely over the cornea.
Because they don’t touch the sensitive corneal surface, they’re often the most comfortable and effective custom contact lenses. The fluid-filled space between the lens and cornea can also help hydrate and protect the eye — a bonus for patients with dryness or sensitivity.
Wavefront-guided scleral lenses go a step further, offering breakthrough customization. These specialized lenses go beyond simply masking the cornea to correcting vision — they address the residual optical imperfections, known as higher-order aberrations, that may persist and can cause glare, halos, and reduced night vision. By integrating precise wavefront data into the scleral lens design, they deliver even sharper vision and enhanced contrast sensitivity. The result is clearer, more comfortable vision across all lighting conditions — from bright sunlight to oncoming headlights at night.
5. Piggyback and Other Specialty Designs
In some cases, your doctor may recommend wearing a soft lens underneath an RGP lens for added cushioning — a combination known as piggyback lenses. This setup can offer the crisp vision of a hard lens with improved comfort.
At CLEI, we tailor these options to each patient’s visual needs, corneal health, and lifestyle.
The Custom Fitting Process: What to Expect at CLEI
Fitting custom contact lenses for keratoconus is more than a standard eye exam — it’s a specialized process designed to ensure optimal vision, comfort, and eye health. Here’s what your experience might look like:
Step 1: Contact Lens Evaluation
We begin with an in-depth exam to assess your vision, corneal health, and current stage of keratoconus. Using state-of-the-art corneal topography and tomography, we create a detailed map of your cornea’s shape, curvature, and thickness.
Based on your measurements, our specialists select the most suitable lens type — whether soft, RGP, hybrid, scleral, or piggyback. Trial lenses will be placed on your eye and we evaluate how they fit your eye and get an idea of how well you will be able to see through them.
It’s common to test a few different designs or sizes before finding the best match.
Step 2: Custom Lens Design
Once the best design is identified, our specialists use your measurements to design a custom lens for you. The design parameters are sent to a specialty lens manufacturer to create your custom-fit contact lenses. Each lens is crafted with incredible precision, down to microns of curvature.
Step 3: Contact Lens Training
When your lenses arrive You’ll receive detailed training on applying, removing, and caring for your new lenses — especially important for scleral lenses.
Step 4: The Fitting Process
Creating a perfect lens for you takes time. Each revision will refine the design to ensure the best comfort and vision while maintaining long-term health.
Step 5: Long Term Follow-Up and Ongoing Care
Your eyes and corneas can change over time, especially with keratoconus. That’s why regular follow-up visits are key. We’ll monitor your corneal health and ensure your lenses continue to deliver the best possible performance. Lenses will last different amounts of time depending on the material. Proper cleaning and care will keep your eyes healthy.
Life with Keratoconus Contact Lenses
Adjusting to keratoconus contacts takes a little patience, but most patients quickly find them life-changing. You’ll notice:
- Sharper vision with less distortion
- Improved comfort
- Better night vision and reduced glare
- Renewed confidence in daily tasks, work, and hobbies
At CLEI, our goal is to help you maintain clear, comfortable vision through every stage of keratoconus, whether that means contact lenses, corneal crosslinking to stop progression or discussing surgical treatment options like CTAK, TGPRK, or DALK.
Advanced Expertise and Care at CLEI
CLEI is nationally recognized for its expertise in keratoconus management and specialty contact lens fitting. Our team combines medical innovation with compassionate, individualized care, ensuring that each patient receives a truly custom solution. We are the only center in the world with 3 doctors that have each been honored by the National Keratoconus Foundation as Top Doctors. You can trust we are keratoconus experts.
Whether you need soft contact lenses for keratoconus, hard contact lenses for keratoconus, or advanced scleral designs, we’ll help you find the option that restores your clarity, comfort, and confidence.
Ready to See Clearly Again?
If you’ve been struggling to find contact lenses that work for your keratoconus, it may be time for a truly custom solution.
Schedule a consultation with CLEI today and discover how custom-fit contact lenses for keratoconus can transform the way you see the world.
