Clinical Scorecard: When Disaster Strikes: Broken Lenses

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• Educating patients and parents on broken lens management reduces frustration during lens replacement delays.
• Increasing lens center thickness by 0.02 to 0.03 mm can reduce breakage in patients prone to lens damage.
• Having a backup pair of glasses or lenses ensures continuous functional vision when lenses are broken or unavailable.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

• Identify broken ortho-k lenses through patient report and lens inspection.

Management

• Consider prescribing a backup pair of ortho-k lenses to minimize downtime.
• Increase lens center thickness for patients with repeated lens breakage.
• Educate families on expected lens replacement timelines and handling precautions.
• Advise use of backup glasses to maintain vision during lens replacement or illness.

Monitoring & Follow-up

• Periodically check backup glasses for fit and condition as the child grows.
• Monitor patient adherence to lens care instructions to prevent breakage.

Risks

• Frustration and vision disruption due to lens breakage and replacement delays.
• Potential vision impairment if backup options are not available during lens downtime.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Children wearing orthokeratology lenses

Most patients have positive experiences with ortho-k lenses; however, younger or repeat patients may benefit from thicker lenses and backup options to reduce breakage impact.

Clinical Best Practices

• Include broken lens management information in ortho-k contracts or patient education forms.
• Educate patients and parents verbally and in writing about handling broken lenses and replacement timelines.
• Offer discounted backup lens pairs when finalizing ortho-k prescriptions if feasible.
• Encourage families to maintain a backup pair of glasses for vision continuity.

References

• When Disaster Strikes: Broken Lenses by Brooke M. Messer, OD, FSLS, FAAO