Scleral Lens Fenestrations and Fluid Reservoir Debris.

StudyOphthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)· Jul 2026

Scleral Lens Fenestrations and Fluid Reservoir Debris.

Damien Fisher, Luisa Holguin Colorado, David Alonso-Caneiro, Stephen J Vincent

Read paper

CorneaStudyClinical practiceQ1IF 3.4

Fenestrated scleral lenses accumulate less fluid reservoir debris than non-fenestrated lenses

Scleral Lens Fenestrations and Fluid Reservoir Debris.

Damien Fisher … Stephen J Vincent

Ophthalmic & physiological optics · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Ophthalmology

Background

The accumulation of debris within the fluid reservoir during scleral lens wear can adversely affect vision, resulting in the need for lens removal.

Purpose

This study aimed to quantify the effect of incorporating limbal scleral lens fenestrations upon fluid reservoir debris.

Methods

Twenty healthy adults (mean age 32 ± 11 years, 10 females/10 males) with normal corneas wore non-fenestrated and fenestrated (3 × 1 mm diameter limbal fenestrations separated by 120°) OneFitMed+ scleral lenses (No.7 Contact Lenses) in both eyes (on separate days) for 3 h.

Results

non-fenestrated lenses build up far more debris in the fluid layer

66arbitr

Non-fenestrated

14arbitr

Fenestrated

More results

Fluid reservoir debris increased over time (p < 0.001), more so for non-fenestrated lenses.

More results

After 3 h, the increase in fluid reservoir debris was greater for the non-fenestrated lens design (total metric increase: non-fenestrated 66 ± 21 vs fenestrated 14 ± 7 arbitrary units [p = 0.03], average metric increase: non-fenestrated 9 ± 2 vs fenestrated 5 ± 1 arbitrary units [p = 0.07]).

“

Conclusion · 1 of 3

After 3 h, non-fenestrated lenses displayed a 2 (average metric) to 4.8 times (total metric) greater increase in central fluid reservoir debris than fenestrated lenses.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

This suggests a potential role for fenestrated lens designs in managing fluid reservoir debris; however, longer-term studies of participants with ocular disease are required.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

CLINICAL TRIAL: This study was registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (Registration number 12622001164785p), date of registration 24/8/2022.

Scleral Lens Fenestrations and Fluid Reservoir Debris.

Scleral Lens Fenestrations and Fluid Reservoir Debris.

Related papers