When to Stop Scleral Lens Wear Before Cataract Surgery?
July 20, 2026
If you depend on scleral lenses, having to stop wearing them weeks to months before cataract surgery can raise concern. How will you manage to work and drive in the interim? For many scleral lens wearers, like those with keratoconus, eyeglasses and soft contact lenses do not provide functional vision. Fortunately, most scleral lens wearers do not need to discontinue wearing lenses for long. This is unlike patients wearing other types of rigid surface contact lens designs.
Why Stop Contact Lens Wear Before Cataract Surgery?
Before undergoing cataract surgery, your surgeon will calculate the proper lens implant to place into your eye. Your surgeon may ask you to stop wearing rigid surface contact lenses well before surgery to capture measurements to determine lens implant power. These calculations influence your surgery outcome. Rigid surface contact lens wear can alter the natural curvature of the cornea or the clear front dome of the eye. This is similar to how a tight wristband watch can leave a temporary imprint on your skin on removal. However corneal curvature can take much longer to rebound to its natural state. Until it does, the intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation may drift. This drift is common with corneal rigid gas permeable (RGP) and hybrid contact lenses, although not with soft disposable and newer scleral rigid contact lenses.
Rigid Gas Permeable and Hybrid Contact Lenses Delay Cataract Surgery
Corneal rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses often alter the corneal surface. One example of this is orthokeratology, where RGP lenses purposely are prescribed to alter eye focusing. It can take weeks to months for this effect to go away during an “RGP washout” when lens wear is discontinued, allowing the surface of the eye to return to its natural state. This can also occur with hybrid SynergEyes contact lens wear, since these lenses have a rigid center piece which interacts with the surface of the eye.
Scleral Contact Lenses Minimize Delaying Cataract Surgery
By comparison, scleral rigid contact lenses are prescribed to avoid touching the cornea. Scleral lenses gently rest on the white part of the eye (the sclera), vaulting over the cornea to avoid altering the central surface shape. This is why vision should not drift after removing properly prescribed scleral lenses. Similarly, soft disposable contact lenses do not normally cause notable molding of the cornea. Knowledgeable cataract surgeons embrace a much shorter washout-period if you are in properly prescribed scleral or soft disposable lenses.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, if your scleral lenses are touching and reshaping the central corneal surface, the surgeon’s IOL power calculation may get thrown off. Soft contact lenses worn continuously can also temporarily alter the natural shape of the cornea. There are also eye conditions where any contact lens wear can interfere with customary IOL calculations. This is why your cataract surgeon may take a conservative approach and require you to discontinue all contact lens wear for at least some period of time.
The bottom line is that even though scleral lens wearers generally need to discontinue contact lens wear for a much shorter period than those wearing corneal rigid (RGP) contact lenses and also hybrid SynergEyes contact lenses, consult your cataract surgeon for guidance specific to your situation.
What if You Must Discontinue Scleral Lens Wear?
If your surgeon feels that scleral lens wear confounds your pre-operative cataract IOL calculation, you will need to discontinue scleral lens wear until the cornea show reasonable stability. This may involve getting repeated measurements every 1-2 weeks after stopping contact lens wear until there is demonstrated stability. Because cataract surgery is done one eye at a time, most patients can manage by relying on vision from their fellow eye at least temporarily.
Scleral Lens Wear After Cataract Surgery
Most scleral lens wearers after cataract surgery still need scleral lenses. Your cataract surgeon will give you guidance on when new scleral lenses can be prescribed. Often new scleral lenses can be prescribed one month after surgery, but the timing depends on how your eye is healing and your surgeon’s clinical judgement.
ReVision Optometry is a referral-based practice in San Diego providing contact lens services for patients with keratoconus. To schedule an appointment, request your appointment online, or call our office at 619.299.6064