Good daily care is one of the biggest factors in how comfortable your scleral lenses feel and how long they last. The routine is straightforward once it’s a habit, but a few details matter more with scleral lenses than with standard soft lenses.

If a lens becomes painful, your eye becomes red or unusually light-sensitive, or vision remains blurred after removing, cleaning and reinserting the lens, stop and contact the practice or seek urgent eye care rather than continuing with your usual routine.

Why scleral lens care needs particular attention

Scleral lenses spend a full day of wear filled with fluid against the eye, which means any debris, protein deposits or bacteria that build up on the lens surface have more opportunity to affect comfort or eye health than with a lens that’s replaced daily. Because scleral lenses are also a significant investment intended to last one to three years, protecting the lens surface from scratches and deposits genuinely extends its useful life, not just its day-to-day comfort. Treating the daily routine as seriously as the fitting process itself is one of the simplest ways to protect that investment.

Daily cleaning routine

• Rinse the lens with the cleaning solution recommended for your lens material as soon as you remove it
• Gently rub the lens between clean fingers with cleaning solution, even if the label says “no-rub” — this helps shift stubborn deposits
• Rinse thoroughly before storage or before filling with saline for insertion
• Store the lens in fresh solution in a clean case, replacing the case regularly
• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling the lens at every step

Weekly and periodic care

Alongside the daily routine, some patients benefit from an occasional deeper clean using a specific protein-removal or deep-cleaning solution, particularly if they notice a gradual build-up of deposits that daily cleaning doesn’t fully address. We’ll advise whether this is worth incorporating into your routine based on your specific lens material and how your eyes respond over time — not every patient needs this, but some do.

What to use — and what to avoid

• Use the specific cleaning solution and preservative-free saline recommended for your lenses — not all contact lens solutions are suitable for scleral lens materials
• Preservative-free saline is for filling and rinsing the lens before insertion — it isn’t a disinfecting solution, so it shouldn’t be used on its own for overnight storage
• Never use tap water to rinse or store a scleral lens, because of the risk of microbial contamination
• Avoid switching solutions without checking with us first, since some combinations of lens material and solution don’t get on well together
• Replace your lens case regularly — a good general guide is monthly, though we can advise based on your specific case type

Managing midday fogging

Fogging — where the fluid reservoir behind the lens becomes cloudy during the day — is a common scleral lens issue rather than a sign of damage. It’s usually caused by debris settling in the reservoir over several hours of wear. A consistent cleaning routine reduces how often it happens, and some patients find carrying rewetting drops for use without removing the lens helps manage it during the day. If fogging is frequent or severe, it’s worth mentioning at your next appointment, since a fitting adjustment can sometimes help. Some patients also find that fogging is more noticeable toward the end of a long wearing day, which is a useful detail to mention if you’re discussing the pattern with us at a review.

Travelling with scleral lenses

If you’re travelling, pack more solution than you think you’ll need, along with a spare case, and check whether your destination has reliable access to your specific solution brand if you’re away for an extended period. Airport security generally allows contact lens solutions within standard liquid limits, but it’s worth checking current restrictions before you travel. Avoid relying on tap water for rinsing in any location, including while travelling, for the same contamination reasons as at home.

A simple routine you can build into your day

Most patients find that scleral lens care becomes second nature within a few weeks, once it’s linked to an existing daily habit — for example, cleaning lenses immediately after removing them in the evening, and filling the lens fresh each morning as part of getting ready. Trying to remember the routine as a standalone task, rather than attaching it to something you already do consistently, tends to be where lapses creep in.

What can go wrong with poor lens care

Inconsistent cleaning can lead to a build-up of protein deposits, which may cause reduced comfort, blurred vision, or increased midday fogging over time. In more significant cases, poor lens hygiene increases the risk of eye infections, which is why the basics — never using tap water, replacing solution and cases regularly, and following the recommended cleaning steps every time — matter more than they might seem to for a lens that’s otherwise fitting well.

Recognising when care, not the lens itself, is the issue

“If comfort or vision gradually declines over weeks rather than changing suddenly, it’s worth reviewing your cleaning routine before assuming the lens itself needs replacing. A lens that’s cleaned inconsistently, or that’s been exposed to an unsuitable solution, can develop a hazy or filmy surface that mimics the signs of general wear. Sometimes a genuinely thorough clean, or a switch back to the recommended solution if you’ve changed products, resolves what looked like a lens problem entirely.“

Craig McArthur, Optometrist

If you’re new to lens care generally

If scleral lenses are your first experience with any kind of specialist contact lens care routine, it’s worth being patient with yourself in the first few weeks. The number of steps can feel like a lot to remember initially, but most patients find it becomes automatic well before their first follow-up appointment. We’re happy to run through the routine again at any visit if it would help.

A final word on consistency

More than any single product or technique, consistency is what makes scleral lens care effective — the same routine, followed the same way, every single day, matters more than finding the theoretically perfect solution or schedule. If you’re ever unsure whether you’re doing something correctly, it’s always better to ask at your next appointment than to guess.

Good lens care isn’t complicated once it’s established as a habit, and the payoff — a lens that stays comfortable, clear and lasts as long as it should — is well worth the small amount of daily discipline it takes to maintain.

Scleral Lens Care FAQs

Can I use any contact lens solution for scleral lenses?

No — scleral lenses need solutions specifically suited to their material, and preservative-free saline for filling the lens before insertion. Using the wrong solution can affect comfort or lens condition, so it’s worth checking with us before switching products.

Why does my scleral lens go cloudy during the day?

This is usually midday fogging, caused by debris collecting in the fluid reservoir behind the lens over several hours. It’s common and usually manageable with cleaning routine adjustments or, if persistent, a review of the fit.

How should I store my scleral lens overnight?

Store it in fresh cleaning solution in a clean case, and replace the case regularly — reusing old solution or an old case increases the risk of contamination.

How often should I replace my lens case?

A good general guide is monthly, though this can vary depending on the case type and material — we can advise a specific schedule based on what you’re using.

Do I need a deep-cleaning solution as well as my daily one?

Not every patient does — this depends on your lens material and how quickly deposits build up for you specifically. We’ll advise whether it’s worth adding to your routine based on how your lenses look at review appointments.

Can I use the same solution for both eyes if I wear two lenses?

Yes, provided both lenses use the same recommended solution and material — just avoid cross-contaminating cases by keeping each lens’s storage separate and clearly identified for left and right.

Book a Scleral Lens Assessment

Call the practice on 0141 943 3300 to arrange a scleral lens consultation.