Charlotte Contact Lens Institute

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Charlotte Contact Lens Institute

Charlotte Contact Lens Institute is an independent practice providing custom & personalized care.

04/21/2026

This patient was originally referred to us for a scleral lens consultation to address blurred vision secondary irregular astigmatism s/p RK and severe dry eye disease. She also has neurotrophic keratitis. Her images at the top who her corneal defect secondary to neurotrophic keratitis. The pictures below show her corneas after 6 weeks of scleral lens wear. She instills a few drops of prophylactic antibiotics into the scleral lens bowl to help avoid infection of the defect. We will soon have her instill autologous serum into the bowl of the scleral lens. We are so please with her results with just a scleral lens protecting the ocular surface and allowing the corneal to heal. Stay tuned for her ongoing healing process!

This patient was originally referred to our practice for a scleral lens consultation to address blurred vision secondary to irregular astigmatism s/p RK, along with severe dry eye disease and neurotrophic keratitis.

The images at the top show her corneal epithelial defect related to neurotrophic keratitis. The photos below highlight her corneal surface after just 6 weeks of scleral lens wear! 🤯

She has been instilling a few drops of prophylactic antibiotic into the bowl of the scleral lens to reduce the risk of infection, and we will soon be transitioning to autologous serum in the lens reservoir to further support healing.

We are so pleased with her progress. Simply protecting the ocular surface with a scleral lens has led to remarkable corneal healing. ✨

04/10/2026

Ever feel like your vision gets cloudy halfway through the day? 💭👁️

Mid-day fogging is a common issue for specialty contact lens wearers. In this case, the fogging was caused by debris building up behind the lens due to excess limbal clearance, sometimes combined with a slightly loose edge—allowing unwanted tear exchange and debris to enter the space under the lens.

By adjusting edge alignment and reducing limbal clearance, we were able to limit tear exchange and significantly reduce debris accumulation behind the lens (check out the before and after!).

Pro tip: If you experience fogging, adding a couple drops of a thicker, preservative-free artificial tear before inserting your lens can help keep things clearer and more comfortable throughout the day.

Clear vision shouldn’t fade by lunchtime ✨

04/07/2026

One of my favorite parts of what we do is getting to watch our little patients grow up over the years. This sweet little girl absolutely brightened my day, complete with some post-exam tickles and the best hugs 💕

04/01/2026

This 35-year-old male was referred to us for a scleral lens evaluation of his left eye (OS) after corneal trauma led to neurotrophic keratitis and persistent SPK. His main concerns were blurred vision, cosmetic redness, lid drooping, and persistent discomfort 😣

He had already been through extensive treatment, including ointment, preservative-free tears, Oxervate, Vevye, Miebo, with an amniotic membrane pending insurance approval. Yet the eye remained inflamed and uncomfortable.

During his scleral lens fitting, he reported instant relief ✨ with the trial lens, asking if he could take the lens home (we wish we could!).

After wearing his scleral lens for 2 weeks, his eye looked quieter and even the lid position improved (photo 1). His corneal epithelium significantly improved (photo 2) with complete SPK resolution.

In cases of neurotrophic keratitis and ocular surface disease, scleral lenses aren’t just refractive devices; they function as a therapeutic bandage system, creating a stable environment for healing.

For this patient (who works in a public-facing role), the cosmetic improvement was just as meaningful as the comfort and vision gains.

When conventional dry eye therapies plateau, therapeutic scleral lenses can truly change the trajectory.

03/24/2026

Scleral Lens Care During Allergy Season 🌼

“Are your scleral lenses feeling itchier, foggier, or more irritating than usual this spring?” 🤧

Allergy season could be affecting your lens comfort.
Quick allergy-season checklist for scleral lens wearers:

✅ Wash hands before handling lenses to avoid transferring pollen or allergens 🧼
✅ Keep lenses clean and follow your recommended cleaning routine carefully 🧴
✅ Use preservative-free filling solutions to maintain a comfortable tear reservoir 💧
✅ Avoid rubbing your eyes, which can worsen irritation and disrupt your lenses 🚫

If your lenses are feeling uncomfortable during allergy season, it may be time for a quick check-in. Small adjustments can make a big difference in comfort.

“Are allergies affecting your lens comfort this season?” 👀

ContactLensCare DryEye

03/20/2026

Are your scleral lenses feeling itchier, foggier, or more irritating than usual this spring 🤧
Allergy season could be affecting your lens comfort.

Quick allergy-season checklist for scleral lens wearers:
✅ Wash hands before handling lenses to avoid transferring pollen or allergens 🧼
✅ Keep lenses clean and follow your recommended cleaning routine carefully 🧴
✅ Use preservative-free filling solutions to maintain a comfortable tear reservoir 💧
✅ Avoid rubbing your eyes, which can worsen irritation and disrupt your lenses 🚫

If your lenses are feeling uncomfortable during allergy season, it may be time for a quick check-in. Small adjustments can make a big difference in comfort.

Are allergies affecting your lens comfort this season? 👀

03/17/2026

What is considered a significant haptic adjustment? 🤔

The answer often depends on the specific lens design. Haptics vary widely between manufacturers, and even within the same brand, different diameters can have very different landing zone sizes.

Today’s “haptic of the day” highlights the superior and inferior quadrants of a scleral, 17.0 mm in diameter. The images on the left show the in-office trial lens fit. The images on the right show the same lens after flattening the haptic by 200 µm.

This example demonstrates how meaningful a 200 µm adjustment can be.
Beyond OCT evaluation, clinical judgment in assessing the degree and depth of conjunctival blanching remains critical in determining how much modification is appropriate.

03/12/2026

Have you heard of the small aperture IOL? 🧐👁️

The IC-8 lens uses a tiny 1.36 mm central opening to filter out scattered peripheral light—similar to the pinhole test we use in the exam room to check your best visual potential. By blocking unfocused light rays, it can reduce distortions and help manage uncorrected astigmatism.

But real life isn’t exam-room lighting. When the natural pupil dilates in dim environments, light can sneak in around the aperture, sometimes bringing back glare, shadowing, or double vision.

In this case, when further surgical refinement wasn’t an option, a specialty contact lens helped improve vision from 20/200 to 20/25. A powerful reminder that even when surgery reaches its limit, there are still tools to restore quality vision. ✨

03/07/2026

A routine exam with an unexpected finding 💭❓

This patient has been a long-time spherical soft lens wearer and prefers monovision after cataract surgery. At this year’s visit, we found new, unexpected astigmatism in her prescription — and it correlated with worsening vision.

Her main complaint? Increasing glare and a constant “film” over her vision. Since her dominant (distance eye) was the most symptomatic, the change was especially noticeable and frustrating.

When we looked closer, the issue wasn’t the contact lens at all. She had posterior capsule opacification (PCO) bisecting her visual axis — creating distortion that mimicked new astigmatism.

A good reminder that when vision changes, it’s important to ask why before simply changing the prescription.

03/03/2026

Join a community dedicated to advancing scleral lens care through real-world learning, meaningful connections, and expert guidance.

Dr. Ariel Cerenzie returns as one of the program chairs for , and we couldn’t be more excited about the lineup!
Register by March 1 to secure the lowest pricing of the year. We can’t wait to see you in San Diego!

Registration link is in our bio 🙌

02/26/2026

Looking for a specialty eye care team you can trust and feel comfortable with? Read the reviews patients have been sharing about their experience at our practice! 💜

We’re so thankful for the kind words and support from our amazing community. If you know someone who needs specialty eye care, we’d be honored for you to send them our way. 👀✨

02/23/2026

Happy 3 year anniversary, CCLI!

"Three years ago, I started Charlotte Contact Lens Institute as a passion project.

I wanted to create a space where I could focus exclusively on specialty contact lenses, fully immerse myself in the best technology available, and truly nerd out on what I love most. 🤓

What began as a small, focused vision has grown into something far beyond what I imagined. Watching this practice evolve through the patients we take care, the incredible team we have built, the technology we use, and the relationships we have formed has been so rewarding.

The best part is that it still does not feel like going to work when you genuinely love what you do.

I am so grateful for every patient who has trusted us, every referring doctor who has supported us, and every team member who has joined our little contact lens nerd family.

Year three, and we are just getting started!"

- Dr. Cerenzie

Address

5950 Fairview Road Suite 708
Charlotte, NC
28210

Telephone

+17048005230

Website

https://www.charlottecontactlens.com/

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