Specialist Lenses
We specialise in fitting the trickiest eyes, particularly for keratoconus, post-laser grief patients, post-graft and scarred corneas. We have an arsenal of lenses to fit such conditions, including rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, tailor-made soft lenses and occasionally both at once (called 'piggybacking')!
However in the past there have always been some who found RGP's uncomfortable and for whom soft lenses do not provide adequate levels of acuity- so over the past 12 months our practice has been pioneering two new types of lens from the States, to overcome these problems.
The first is the SynergEyes hybrid lens, which consists of a highly oxygen permeable RGP centre to give superior vision acuity, and a soft 'skirt' around the edge to make the lens more stable and more comfortable.
The SynergEyes lens - has an RGP centre and a soft skirt
The main applications of this unique lens are in the fitting of keratoconus, post-laser and irregular corneas, but are also a great option for those who require crisp, stable vision with the comfort of a soft lens.
The SynergEyes trial set has lenses for keratoconus, post-laser, irregular and normal corneas
We are experts in fitting SynergEyes, and Miss Taylor-West and Dr Caroline Burnett Hodd have had specialist SynergEyes training in California and now lecture to other practioners around the country on how to fit them.
A good SynergEyes fit
Synergeyes: The New Era in Hybrid Lens Technology
So2Clear
The second type of lens is the So2Clear corneo-scleral RGP, which is essentially an RGP lens but much larger than normal- around 14mm in diameter, the same as a soft lens.
The So2Clear lens is a large diameter RGP lens making it more comfortable
They have been specially designed to align with the cornea and the sclera, masking any corneal irregularities and providing truly superb levels of vision. Because of the size of the lens they are also extremely comfortable, often more comfortable than a soft lens. They are an excellent choice for high astigmatism, keratoconus, post-graft, post-laser, scarred and irregular corneas, as well as for straightforward long- or short-sightedness.
So2Clear fits to a post-graft eye and a post-RK eye
The So2Clear Multifocal lens also give the same great benefits of superior comfort and vision, in a multifocal version so you can banish those reading glasses for good. The Burnett Hodd practice was the first establishment in the UK to fit these lenses, and Miss Taylor-West is involved in the training of other practioners to fit So2Clears around the country.
Click here to read Sophie Taylor-West's recent article in Optometry today on the So2Clear lens:
And of course we also have all of the standard keratoconic lenses such as Rose K, Quasar K, KeraSoft, Dyna Z Kone, Dyna Intra Limbal and Scleral Lenses.
And here is Mr Burnett Hodd and Ms Taylor-West's latest article from Optometry Today: