Progression From Soft Lens to Piggyback Soft-Scleral Contact Lens System to Facilitate Scleral Lens Use in a Pediatric Patient

Abstract

Traumatic injury in the pediatric population often results in significant refractive errors that if left untreated can lead to amblyopia. Scleral contact lenses (ScCLs) have recently gained popularity in this population for efficacy in treatment of significant refractive errors, including irregularity astigmatism and corneal abnormalities. Scleral contact lens intolerance may limit the ability of practitioners to use this modality. Although a soft contact lens (SCL) is generally well tolerated, it cannot treat refractive error as effectively as an ScCL. We recently used an SCL followed by an SCL-ScCL combination ("piggyback" system) sequence in a pediatric patient to facilitate use of an ScCL alone. We hope that our results may provide practitioners with an additional option when treating this challenging patient population.