If you’ve ordered your scleral lens(es), you’ve just taken an exciting step toward clearer, more comfortable vision. We know the fitting process can feel a bit overwhelming at first, so we’ve created this guide to walk you through exactly what to expect over the next three to four months.
Whether you’re new to specialty lenses or updating an existing prescription, understanding the journey ahead will help you feel confident and prepared every step of the way.
Your Lens Journey at a Glance
When you choose In Focus for your specialty contact lenses, your investment includes more than just the lenses themselves. Here’s what’s covered in your fitting package:
– Your initial consultation or annual exam
– 90–120 days of follow-ups and lens adjustments
– Doctor design time with Labs (about 20–60 minutes per order)
– Unlimited training on insertion, removal, cleaning, and care
– Starting solutions and equipment (for new patients)
– Priority scheduling for all appointments
Think of this as a partnership. We’re not just handing you a pair of lenses—we’re walking alongside you until your vision is as clear and comfortable as possible.
The Fitting Process: Why It Takes Time
One of the most common questions we hear is: “Why can’t I just order these like regular soft contacts?”
The short answer is that fitting a scleral lens is a medical procedure, not a retail transaction. Unlike soft lenses that simply drape over your eye, scleral lenses are rigid structures that must:
– Vault over your cornea without touching it
– Seal comfortably on the sclera (the “white” of your eye)
– Align perfectly with your unique eye shape
This level of precision takes time—usually 3 to 4 months for most patients, and sometimes longer for complex cases.
What to Expect Over the Next Few Months
Your Dispensing Appointment
Your first appointment after ordering your lenses is your dispensing appointment—this is when you’ll receive your lenses for the very first time.
During this visit, you’ll get:
- A month’s worth of supplies
- Detailed care instructions
- Insertion and removal training (if you’re new to scleral lenses)
- Links to purchase more supplies online
We’ll make sure you feel confident handling your lenses before you leave the office.
The Wear-and-Adapt Phase
After your dispensing appointment, you’ll wear your lenses for 1 to 2 weeks and then return to see how your eyes and vision have adapted.
Important: During this time, it’s essential to wear your lenses every day—or as consistently as possible. Your eye needs time to physically adapt to the lens, and your brain needs time to adapt to the new way of seeing. The more you wear them (within comfort limits), the faster this adaptation will happen.
Fitting Appointments: Fine-Tuning Your Lenses
The appointments after your dispensing visit are called fitting appointments. This is where our doctors evaluate:
– How the lens fits on your eye (edge alignment, central clearance, landing zone)
– How well you’re seeing with the lenses
– Whether any adjustments are needed to meet your vision goals
If changes are needed, we’ll order revisions to the lens design. These revised lenses can be shipped directly to you or to our office, depending on the lab we are using. Most patients need 3 to 5 follow-up visits on average over the 90-120 day fitting period.
Collaborative Care: Working With Our Team
To meet lens manufacturer warranty timelines (the fitting period), our policy is that you see the first available doctor (Dr. Morrison or Dr. Kramer Oldroyd) during your fitting and follow-up period.
This ensures we’re working as efficiently as possible to get your lenses right.
If you prefer to see only one doctor for the duration of your fitting and you go over the manufacturer’s warranty period, new fitting fees may apply and new lenses will need to be purchased to continue revising the lenses.
Understanding Your Lens Agreement
Warranty Coverage
Your warranty to make lens revisions will end based on the date of your initial order, aligned with the manufacturer’s warranty. This is why it’s important to keep all your follow-up appointments within the warranty window. If you are heading out of town for an extended amount of time (1-3 months), it might be better to start your lens fitting after you return home, so you do not lose out on time to make lens revisions.
Expedited Orders: Expedited fabrication and/or shipping is sometimes available for an additional fee, and can reduce revision wait time by 1 to 3 weeks. This fee applies to each order you choose to expedite and varies by lab .
A Few Helpful Reminders
- Your first pair of sclerals in a fitting may not be your last.
- Fit and prescription revisions are included in your lens fees—it’s normal to go through several versions before finding the perfect fit .
- You may still need glasses or readers for certain tasks, especially if you’re in your 40s or beyond.
- Patience and consistent wear are key. Your eyes and brain need time to adapt comfortably.
- Daily cleaning and care are essential for lens longevity and eye health.
- If travel or scheduling delays your fitting beyond the 90-120 day window, new lens and fitting fees may apply.
- All lenses from the fitting period (apart from your finalized lens(es)) must be returned to In Focus. Your final pair is the medically approved pair for you to wear.
Backup Lenses: A Smart Investment
On your final fitting appointment, you’ll have the opportunity to order backup lenses at a 20% discount! These are duplicates of your final lens design that can be stored for future use in case of emergency—a lost lens, a tear, or travel. Having a backup pair means you’re never without clear vision, especially if you depend on the lenses for driving, work, etc.
The Bottom Line
Your 90-120 day journey to better vision is an investment in clarity, comfort, and quality of life. We’re here for you every step of the way. Whether by phone, text, or email, our team is always available for any questions. Each appointment, each revision, and each day of wear gets you closer to lenses that feel like they were made just for you—because they were.
Thank you for allowing us to be part of your vision journey. We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment!
