KeraSoft
KeraSoft Lenses
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| KeraSoft 2 was the original soft lens for keratoconus and has been available for over 13 years. It is manufactured from a non-ionic water retentive material with a UV inhibitor. | KeraSoft 3 was launched in January 2008 as the world's first Silicone Hydrogel lathe cut lens for keratoconus. The unique material allows long comfortable wearing times and has the benefit of giving improved ocular health. Typically, the wearer can achieve up to 18 hours comfortable wear. | KeraSoft IC is manufactured from the same material as KeraSoft 3 but can be fully customised to fit complex corneas. Suitable for post graft, post LASEK (reverse geometry), PMD and advanced keratoconus. |
For more information on KeraSoft lenses visit www.kerasoft.co.uk
KeraSoft IC FAQ
KeraSoft IC is available in two high water content materials., 77% water content Hydrogel and 74% water content Silicone Hydrogel SiH material
Both these materials allow long wearing times of up to 18 hours and the type of material supplied depends on practitioner assessment.
What’s the comfort like?
Comfort is very good. Typically, patients achieve all day, every day wear, many can wear comfortably around 18 hours.
Do the lenses need special solution?
You can use regular all-in-one soft lens solutions such as Optifree or Regard.
You can use regular all-in-one soft lens solutions such as Optifree or Regard.
I’ve been told by my optician that soft lenses can’t work for advanced keratoconus as they just mould to the shape of the eye – is this true?
Disposable soft lenses will mould to the shape of the eye because they are very thin. Lenses for Irregular Cornea are thicker than conventional lenses and don’t mould in the same way at all. When they were made from older materials, the thickness tended to reduce the oxygen going through the lens, but advances in material technology (SiH) mean that lenses can be thicker and the eye receives enough oxygen. The sponginess of the material means it can mould more to the shape of the eye on the back surface but retain its shape on the front. See "How contact lenses work"
I wear RGP lenses – do I have to leave lenses out before I can be fitted?
No. You can come to the appointment wearing RGP lenses – in fact I would prefer it so I can assess the fit of your current lenses.
No. You can come to the appointment wearing RGP lenses – in fact I would prefer it so I can assess the fit of your current lenses.
I hear it can take months for eyes to settle down when wearing KeraSoft after swapping from RGPs. Is this true?
This depends on how your lenses were fitted in the first place and how well you see in your RGPs. RGP lenses, when fitted very flat, will push the cornea out of shape and it takes a while for that to “spring back”. Often the cornea will fluctuate for months.
This depends on how your lenses were fitted in the first place and how well you see in your RGPs. RGP lenses, when fitted very flat, will push the cornea out of shape and it takes a while for that to “spring back”. Often the cornea will fluctuate for months.
However, some patients actually get better vision in KeraSoft than in their own RGP lenses – and for them, swapping over is not an issue because generally, even if their vision fluctuates, its always better than it was with RGPs.
If you have excellent vision with RGPs, then you are likely to notice changes in your vision more. However, for many patients, the gain in comfortable wearing time outweighs the variable vision during the settling down period.
How long does it take to settle?
This varies between individuals but generally, I usually advise to wear the initial lenses for 3 months and then come back for a final “tweak”.
This varies between individuals but generally, I usually advise to wear the initial lenses for 3 months and then come back for a final “tweak”.
What about INTACs?
These are semi circular rings of plastic inserted into the cornea which help to regularise the shape. Although one of the reasons to insert these is to make the cornea easier to fit with contact lenses, it can still take a while to get a good fit with any contact lens type.
These are semi circular rings of plastic inserted into the cornea which help to regularise the shape. Although one of the reasons to insert these is to make the cornea easier to fit with contact lenses, it can still take a while to get a good fit with any contact lens type.
