Medically reviewed by Dr. Shira Kresch, OD, MS, FAAO — optometrist specializing in keratoconus, scleral lens fitting, and ocular surface disease
An air bubble under a scleral lens almost always means one thing: the bowl wasn’t filled completely, or the lens tilted on its way to your eye. The fix is simple — remove the lens, refill it to a slight dome of saline, and reinsert with your face fully parallel to the floor. Here’s how to beat bubbles for good, and when a recurring bubble signals a fit issue instead.
Why bubbles happen
Scleral lenses hold a sealed reservoir of preservative-free saline against your eye. If any air sneaks into that reservoir during insertion, it stays trapped there — you’ll see a visible bubble in the mirror, feel it when you blink, or notice a blurry patch in your vision. The three usual culprits: an under-filled bowl, tilting the lens during insertion, and releasing your eyelids too early so the lens rocks as it lands.
The bubble-proof insertion routine
Fill the bowl until the saline forms a slight dome above the lens edge — more than feels necessary. Lean forward until your face is truly parallel to the floor (most bubbles come from “almost” parallel). Hold both lids wide so your lashes can’t wick saline out, bring the lens straight up, and keep looking down until it seats. Our step-by-step insertion and removal guide walks the whole routine.
Small bubble — remove or tolerate?
Remove and redo. A bubble doesn’t dissolve or work itself out; it sits against your cornea all day, creating a dry spot under the lens that can leave the area irritated by evening. Thirty seconds of re-insertion beats eight hours of a bubble.
When bubbles keep coming back
If your technique is solid and bubbles still appear — especially bubbles that form hours after insertion — the lens edge may be lifting off the eye in one spot and letting air in as the lens settles. That’s a lens-geometry problem, not a you-problem. A small landing-zone adjustment usually ends it, which is exactly the kind of refinement we design from your eye’s 3D profilometry map.
Can I leave a small air bubble in my scleral lens?
No — remove the lens, refill it completely with preservative-free saline, and reinsert. A bubble creates a dry spot against the cornea that can cause irritation and blurred vision by the end of the day.
Why do I get air bubbles hours after inserting my scleral lens?
Bubbles that appear mid-day usually mean the lens edge is lifting and letting air into the reservoir as the lens settles. That’s a fit issue your scleral lens specialist can fix with a small design adjustment.
What solution should I fill my scleral lens with?
Only preservative-free saline made for scleral lens filling. Never use tap water, and never multipurpose solution inside the bowl — preservatives held against the cornea all day cause irritation.
Struggling with bubbles no matter what you try? Dr. Shira Kresch refines scleral lens fits for patients across Metro Detroit at our Southfield office — your first specialty consultation is free. Book online or call (248) 545-2800.
