A scar on the cornea — the clear window at the front of the eye — can scatter light and blur vision in ways glasses simply can’t fix. But in many cases, vision can be dramatically restored without surgery. At Michigan Contact Lens, Dr. Shira Kresch uses custom scleral lenses to create a smooth new optical surface over a scarred cornea, often achieving clarity the patient hasn’t had in years.
Corneal scarring occurs when the cornea heals after injury, infection, or disease and forms opaque tissue in place of its normally clear structure. Because the cornea is responsible for most of the eye’s focusing power, even a small scar can distort or block vision.
Scars can be superficial or deep, central or peripheral. Their effect on vision depends on their size, density, and location — a central scar over the pupil has the greatest impact.
Corneal scars can develop from a range of causes, including:
Whatever the cause, the challenge is the same: light no longer passes cleanly through the corneal surface.
Depending on the scar’s size and location, symptoms may include:
This is where scleral lenses excel. Because a scarred cornea is irregular, glasses and soft lenses can’t create a clean focus. A scleral lens replaces that rough surface with a perfectly smooth one.
For many patients, a scleral lens offers a non-surgical path to clear vision through a cornea that was once considered untreatable.
Because scleral lenses can bypass the optical effects of a scar, they sometimes allow patients to delay or avoid a corneal transplant. For scars that are stable and not vision-threatening, a well-fit scleral lens can be a far less invasive first step.
When surgery is needed, we coordinate. Michigan Contact Lens co-manages corneal scarring with ophthalmologists and corneal surgeons across Metro Detroit — fitting scleral lenses before or after procedures such as transplants to give you the best possible vision at every stage.
Often, yes. By creating a smooth new optical surface over the irregular scarred cornea, scleral lenses let light focus cleanly again — frequently restoring vision that glasses can’t.
Not always. For many stable scars, a scleral lens can restore functional vision without surgery. When a transplant is needed, sclerals can also help before and after the procedure.
The lens doesn’t remove the scar — it optically bypasses it. By replacing the rough corneal surface with a smooth one, it lets you see clearly despite the scar being present.
Yes — a scarred, irregular cornea requires precise mapping. We use Eaglet Eye profilometry to design a lens that fits your unique surface for the best comfort and clarity.
