Columbiana, Ohio
Dr. Gregory Fagert fits scleral lenses for keratoconus, severe astigmatism, dry eye disease and post-surgical corneas — the cases most practices refer out. Patients come from across Northeast Ohio for them.
Free consultation · By appointment · 14 N Main St
The short version
A scleral lens is wider than an ordinary contact. Instead of sitting on the cornea, it arches clear over it and lands on the sclera — the white of the eye, which has almost no nerve endings. That single difference is why people who gave up on contacts years ago can wear these all day.
The gap underneath fills with sterile saline. That reservoir does two jobs at once: it forms a perfectly smooth optical surface, so light stops scattering off an irregular cornea, and it keeps the eye bathed in moisture from morning to night.
What brings people here
If any of this sounds like your last eye exam, a scleral lens is worth a conversation. The consultation is free and there is no obligation to proceed.
A progressive disease in which the cornea thins and bulges outward into a cone. Because the surface is no longer round, glasses can only do so much.
How the lens helps — it replaces the cone with a smooth optical surface, which is why keratoconus patients often see the biggest jump in clarity.
The cornea is shaped more like a football than a basketball. Common, but past a certain point, glasses and soft lenses stop reaching 20/20.
How the lens helps — the saline layer neutralizes the irregular shape entirely, correcting amounts of astigmatism a soft lens can't hold.
There aren't enough tears — or the right kind of tears — to keep the surface of the eye comfortable through the day.
How the lens helps — the reservoir keeps the cornea in constant contact with fluid. Especially effective in moderate to severe cases.
After LASIK, PRK, RK or a corneal transplant, the surface can heal into a shape that no longer focuses light evenly.
How the lens helps — it vaults the whole healed surface, giving stable vision without putting pressure on a graft or a treated zone.
Also provided
Scleral lenses are the specialty. Routine and medical eye care, myopia control for children, and dry eye treatment are all part of the same practice.
What to expect
Dr. Fagert examines the cornea and talks through whether a scleral lens is the right tool for your eyes. Free, and there's no pressure to go further.
Your eye is measured and trial lenses are placed until the vault clears the cornea and the vision is sharp. Usually one to two appointments.
You learn to insert and remove the lens, then come back so the fit can be adjusted. Nobody leaves settled for "good enough."
In their words
“I have been wearing the scleral contact lenses now for about two years. They are the most comfortable contact lenses I've ever worn. Better than soft, better than gas permeable.”
“He doesn't hurry you — that's what I like most about him. And he doesn't guess. If something doesn't look right, he'll send you to someone else.”
“A very good and considerate doctor who cares about your eyes and how he can help you.”
The consultation costs nothing. Bring your most recent prescription if you have it, and Dr. Fagert will tell you honestly whether this is the right path.