Eye Conditions We Treat in Plano, TX
Most patients who come to Texas Contact Lens Institute have already been told that little more can be done. They have cycled through glass prescriptions that plateau, soft lenses that blur or will not stay in position, and appointments that end without a clear path forward.
The conditions below share one thing: they alter the corneal surface or the ocular surface in ways that standard correction cannot address. Glasses cannot compensate for an irregular cornea. Soft lenses conform to the distortion rather than correcting it. Custom specialty lenses bypass the problem entirely, replacing an irregular surface with a smooth optical one.
Every case is evaluated and fitted personally by Dr. Beth Summers, OD, MS, FAAO, FSLS. Specialty lens consultations are free of charge.
Corneal and Structural Conditions
These conditions change the physical shape of the cornea. The correction has to be built around that shape, not applied on top of it.
Progressive thinning causes the cornea to bulge into an irregular cone, scattering light and producing ghosting, double vision, glare, and a prescription that changes unpredictably year to year. Custom scleral lenses are the primary treatment, with RGP, hybrid, and keratoconus-specific soft designs used depending on cone severity and location. Patients showing active progression are referred to a cornea specialist for corneal cross-linking.
Keratoconus
Donor tissue rarely matches recipient geometry, so most patients finish healing with significant irregular astigmatism that glasses cannot neutralize. Scleral lenses vault the entire graft-host junction, correcting the irregularity while placing no mechanical pressure on the surgical site. Fitting typically begins three to six months post-operatively, ideally after sutures are removed.
After a Corneal Transplant
Scarring from infection, trauma, chemical exposure, corneal ulcers, or prior surgery creates microscopic dips, peaks, and opaque zones that bend light inconsistently. Custom scleral lenses vault the scarred tissue and substitute a smooth refracting surface. Where the scarring affects appearance, custom prosthetic lenses restore a natural eye presentation.
Corneal Scarring
Refractive surgery has a strong safety record, but a meaningful subset of patients develops persistent problems: irregular astigmatism, corneal ectasia, chronic dry eye, or night vision disturbance. Radial keratotomy carries a particular long-term risk, since the incisions continue altering corneal shape for decades. Custom scleral systems correct the distortion without contacting altered tissue.
Vision Problems After LASIK, RK, and Eye Surgery
Ocular Surface and Autoimmune Conditions
These conditions damage the tear film and the ocular surface itself. Treatment addresses the underlying disease, and lenses are used where they protect the surface as well as correct vision.
Burning, a gritty sensation, redness, fluctuating vision, and the paradox of watery eyes. Dry eye is driven by tear film instability rather than tear volume alone, and over-the-counter drops treat comfort without touching the cause. Treatment is tiered to the subtype and severity, from prescription anti-inflammatories through punctal plugs, biologics, and scleral lenses for refractory cases.
Learn about dry eye syndrome, symptoms, and causes · See dry eye treatment options
Dry Eye Syndrome
Survivors frequently live with chronic cicatricial change, meibomian gland destruction, corneal scarring, severe photophobia, and pain with every blink. Standard soft lenses sit directly on that compromised tissue and worsen it. Scleral lenses vault the cornea entirely, eliminating lid friction while the fluid reservoir hydrates the surface all day.
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
An autoimmune condition that progressively damages the tear-producing glands, leaving the cornea chronically exposed and inflamed. Lubricating drops evaporate within minutes and punctal plugs cannot compensate for glands that have largely stopped functioning. Scleral lenses hold a continuous saline reservoir against the eye, which is protection no drop schedule can replicate.
Sjögren's Syndrome
Progressive Conditions in Children
Myopia Progression
A child's worsening prescription is not just a stronger lens each year — it reflects an eye that is physically elongating, and that change is permanent. Higher adult myopia carries elevated lifetime risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma, myopic maculopathy, and early cataracts. Myopia management uses orthokeratology, multifocal soft lenses, and prescription therapy to slow the elongation during the years it matters most.
A specialty lens practice should be clear about where its scope ends.
Corneal cross-linking, corneal transplantation, cataract surgery, and refractive surgery are performed by cornea specialists and ophthalmic surgeons, not here. When your condition is progressing or a surgical intervention is indicated, you will be referred to the appropriate specialist and co-managed from there. Routine eye examinations, glaucoma monitoring, diabetic eye exams, and eyeglasses remain with your primary eye care provider.
Conditions We Refer Out
What Happens at Your First Visit
Your first appointment includes a comprehensive evaluation of your eyes and ocular surface, corneal topography, and diagnostic lens trials to see how different designs perform on your eye. From there the lens is custom-designed and the fit refined across follow-up visits until vision and comfort are optimized.
Bring any prior corneal topography reports, your current prescription, surgical records if applicable, and a list of medications including eye drops. If another provider referred you, ask them to forward their most recent imaging.
Read about Dr. Beth Summers · See all specialty contact lens services
Common Questions
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Yes. The conditions above are the most frequent reasons patients are referred, but the underlying question is the same for all of them: does your eye have an irregular or compromised surface that standard correction cannot address? Pellucid marginal degeneration, corneal ectasia, ocular trauma, congenital iris defects, and advanced astigmatism are all fitted here. Call or text (972) 299-8675 and describe your situation.
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No, and any provider who tells you otherwise should be questioned. Specialty lenses correct the visual consequences of these conditions; they do not halt the underlying disease. Keratoconus progression is addressed with corneal cross-linking by a cornea surgeon. Sjögren's is managed systemically by your rheumatologist. Lenses restore function while the underlying condition is managed by the right specialist.
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Often it is not. That conclusion is usually reached after standard soft lenses failed, which is expected on an irregular cornea — those lenses conform to the distortion instead of correcting it. Custom scleral, RGP, hybrid, and piggyback systems are designed around your specific corneal topography and frequently succeed where mass-produced lenses could not.