English: Intraoperative pachymetric-guided corneal epithelium removal during corneal collagen cross linking in patient with post-LASIK corneal ectasia and inferior corneal thinning. Kymionis et al. BMC Ophthalmology 2009 9:10 doi:10.1186/1471-2415-9-10 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) and the more severe variant of the disease, toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome (TENS), are intense autoimmune sensitivity reactions to infections or medications that primarily affect the skin and mucus membranes, including the eyes. Patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome have a tendency to have ocular difficulties including dry eyes, eye pain, light sensitivity, scarring, and corneal erosion. Dr. Azman has helped many patients restore vision and quality of life transformed with his innovative treatments.
Scleral contacts are large-diameter gas permeable contact lenses specially designed to vault over the entire corneal surface and rest on the “white” of the eye (sclera). In doing so, scleral lenses functionally replace the irregular cornea with a perfectly smooth optical surface to correct vision problems caused by Lasik failures, post-surgical complications, and other corneal irregularities.
Because scleral lenses are designed to vault the corneal surface and rest on the less sensitive surface of the sclera, these lenses often are more comfortable for a person with corneal irregularities. A special liquid fills the space between the back surface of the lens and the front surface of the cornea. This liquid acts as a buffer and protects the compromised corneal tissue. Scleral lenses are designed to fit with little or no lens movement during blinks, making them more stable on the eye, compared with traditional corneal gas permeable lenses. These lenses are almost always very comfortable and the vision provided by them is extremely good. The great majority of patients are able to wear their scleral lenses almost all of their waking hours without problems.
Dr. Irwin Azman prescribes scleral contact lenses for a variety of hard-to-fit eyes, including patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Radial Keratotomy and Lasik Complications, Keratoconus, Corneal Ectasia, Post-Surgical Vision Loss, and Pellucid Marginal Degeneration.
Dr. Irwin Azman neither avoids nor declines the challenge of prescribing the most difficult cases. Dr. Azman tends to have a perfectionist demeanor.