HELP!!! Need feedback on Scleras

[GraveStalker]

Reaching out to the haunt community here. We are having difficulty obtaining Scleras because optometrist will not approve due to potential eye damage they may cause. We have used for years without issue but I am wondering how many of you know anyone or heard of anyone damaging their eyes with Scleras?

Your feedback (positive or negative) is greatly appreciated!!!

Jim Wieloch

www.darkwalk.net

[spookhaven]

They won't approve them. It's very difficult to get approvals even on the regular contacts. I have those available but not the others. MAS that goes to the show sells them without the approval to haunt industry, I believe.

[GraveStalker]

Why?

Thanks for your response Spook! I know the FDA got involved somewhere around 2005, but it seems like this year it is more difficult than ever. Any idea of what is going on? And is there a "real" problem that is warranting this?

[WeAreTheUnion]

I'm seeing them all over the place online...what am I missing here?

[GraveStalker]

Problem

The Issue is when you go to purchase them. You need eye doctor to approve and chances are they won't.

[screamforadream]

No....

From Body Jewellry Shop LTD you can get anything you want for super reasonable prices and free shipping. I have 4 different pairs this year and none of them have ever hurt me and they're incredible! They ship from the UK and I get them in about 6 business days to CT.

[SAWDUST JONES]

Yes, people have hurt their eyes!

I have a lot of experience with lenses.

Scleral lenses, being much larger, are more difficult to put in and to take out and there is naturally more problems, particularly with fingernails. They must be maintained more often once in the actor, more eye drops much more often, and their is a greater chance that the lens will not fit the curvature of the eye and pop out. Additionally, these lens are much less comfortable and people have a tendency to rub their eyes more, and with dirty haunt hands, more likely to get corneal scratches / abrasions. Additionally, since sclerals cover more surface of the eye, they don't allow the to "breath" as well.

That said you can still buy scleral lenses online (we recently bought about 5K worth) but seriously, why do you need them for a haunted house? Any of the great effects that sclerals produce is likely to be lost in a haunted attraction and they cost over 10X more. Stand back more than 5 feet under regular circumstances and the effect is greatly diminished. Just my opinion.

[screamforadream]

True, my post was designated towards regular contacts....sclera's scare me to wear, I'm a wuss!! But they are available should you feel brave lol

[GraveStalker]

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks Guys!

Sawdust: I agree that scleras are overkill in most haunted house settings, but not in queue line or other areas that are fairly well lit and allow actors time to interact with patrons. The black scleras are effective from distances much greater than a few feet.

I am interested to know if the seemingly increased concern over the use of scleras is warranted or is it just an over-reaction. It seems to me that if proper care is taken when using them -there shouldn't be a problem.

[SAWDUST JONES]

Scleral lenses...

Just my opinion, I could be wrong, but...

If you are buying scleral lenses and wearing them yourself, go for it. If they are for employees, it is just an added risk / liability, in my opinion. Who needs that? And for what?

Even in a queue line, I think scleral lenses are overkill. They are best utilized for close-up, well lit photography (primarily motion picture) and even up close in a queue line, I don't think the extra bit of impact you might get is worth any added liability. Now a totally milked over, virus blown eye... maybe, but your actor can't see at all, so it's pretty worthless. A black sceral lens-- What percentage of extra scare do you think you get out of full black lenses versus a corneal black lense? 1-2% of extra eyeball horror, lol? I bet the corneal Marilyn Manson zombie lens ranks higher than both. More importantly, a good line performer can freak people out without any lenses at all.

In my experience, most the easy targets in queue lines are hiding their faces and running away. When weighing the little added impact of scleral lenses vs. the extra liability and troubles they bring, I think sclerals are not a great choice. And if I was to pay $300 for a set of scleral lenses, I sure wouldn't buy pitch black ones!

[Preblepug]

Scleras

Yes, although I never have used them I know they are at a higher risk of causing injury to the eye. Since they cover most of the eye there is a higher risk of causing injury during putting in and taking out of the lens. I also have ran into needing a doctors note in order to get contacts...So I am still searching for a good place to go.

[hauntedkimmy]

I had asked my eye doctor about the scleras and obtaining an RX pair years ago and he explained the reasoning behind why doctors don't like to approve a note for them. Like regular contacts, they are supposed to be custom fit for the size and curvature of your eye. Most eye centers don't have the equipment in house to properly measure the entire sclera and not just the iris portion. Not many people come in wanting scleral contacts, apparently, LOL. So prescribing an ill fitting lens could come back on the eye doctor writing the script. He recommended if it was something I really wanted, to schedule an appointment with an opthamologist that has that kind of machine. I didn't need them that badly to shell out for a costly fitting fee and visit, so I never pursued it.

But yes, they are harder to wear, much more uncomfortable, less breathable and all that jazz, but really, that entire blacked out eye look RAWKS!