What are the causes of scleral edema?

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From the Research

Causes of Scleral Edema

  • Scleral lens-induced corneal edema can be caused by various factors, including the magnitude and regional variation in corneal edema after scleral lens wear 1, 2, 3
  • Post-penetrating keratoplasty eyes exhibit significant corneal edema after lens wear, with a greater magnitude of corneal edema and greater variability in the corneal response compared to healthy eyes 3
  • Scleral lens wear may exacerbate edema in patients who have undergone penetrating keratoplasty, particularly if lens fit is suboptimal 4
  • Ciliary body edema can occur after scleral buckling surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, with significant increases in ciliary body thickness at 3,7, and 14 days postoperatively 5

Factors Contributing to Scleral Edema

  • Fluid reservoir thickness can contribute to scleral lens-induced corneal edema, with greater stromal oedema observed for medium and high fluid reservoir thickness conditions compared to low conditions 2
  • Lens design and fitting factors, such as hypoxic and mechanical corneal stress, should be carefully considered for all post-penetrating keratoplasty scleral lens fits to minimize potential graft rejection or failure in the longer-term 3
  • The direction of scleral buckling can affect the magnitude of ciliary body edema, with greater edema observed in the direction of buckling than on the opposite side 5

Regional Variation in Scleral Edema

  • Corneal edema can vary regionally, with greater swelling observed toward the graft-host junction inferiorly in post-penetrating keratoplasty eyes 3
  • Stromal oedema can gradually increase from the corneal centre to the periphery, with a relative increase of 18% on average 2

References

Research

Central and peripheral scleral lens-induced corneal oedema.

Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists), 2024

Research

Scleral Lens-Induced Corneal Edema after Penetrating Keratoplasty.

Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry, 2020

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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