ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/sa.2026.03.003
An Experimental Study on the Influence of Material Properties of Scleral RGP Lenses on the Settlement Rate
Dekun Li, Haiyu Mao*
Dongshin University, Naju, Jeonnam-do 58245, South Korea.
*Corresponding author: Haiyu Mao
Published: March 31, 2026
Abstract
This study focuses on the settlement behavior of scleral lenses and conducts an investigation on it, while intrinsic characteristics of rigid gas permeable materials regulate the rate of settlement, with mechanism pathways having also been systematically sorted out. By examining key physicochemical parameters, including oxygen permeability, elastic modulus, surface wettability, and anti-deposition properties, while integrating established quantification methods with the time evolution of the post-lens tear reservoir, this study elucidates coupled interactions between material properties and corneal physiological and biomechanical environment. Research results reveal an obvious staged pattern of scleral lens settlement, with an average reduction of approximately 126 ± 33 μm during the initial four-hour wearing period, and notably, inter-material variability manifests through differential regulation of corneal metabolism, tissue compression, and interfacial friction, thereby collectively shaping the trajectory of the settlement process. These results emphasize that material optimization must achieve a delicate balance between physiological biocompatibility and mechanical stability, thus providing a theoretical framework for improving the precision of scleral lens fitting.
Keyword
Scleral lens; RGP materials; Settling rate; oxygen permeability; tear reservoir; corneal physiology
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Copyright
© 2026 by the author(s).
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not modified or adapted.
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How to cite this paper
An Experimental Study on the Influence of Material Properties of Scleral RGP Lenses on the Settlement Rate
How to cite this paper: Dekun Li, Haiyu Mao. (2026) An Experimental Study on the Influence of Material Properties of Scleral RGP Lenses on the Settlement Rate. Scientific Access, 2(1), 24-28.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/sa.2026.03.003