The Recess Pillow Lens System (RPLS) is a propriatary and unique contact lens system that incorporates a soft “pillow” lens with a front surface recess that holds any custom or lab designed rigid gas permeable contact lens firmly within the soft lens. This allows for excellent positioning of the lens system along with improved comfort when compared to a rigid lens directly placed on the corneal surface.
The soft “pillow” positions the lens system and controls movement while the rigid gas permeable lens provides the vision and optics for the system. Virtually any rigid lens can be positioned within the recess of the pillow lens. Of specific benefit is this lens system for cases of highly irregular corneas such as keratoconus, post corneal trauma, post corneal or refractive corneal surgery with secondary irregularity. However the RPLS can be used on normal corneas especially so in cases of multifocal contact lens systems.Dr. Eiden wrote an article for the fall issue of the National Keratoconus Foundation’s Newsletter on a new contact lens system that has applications for keratoconus and other eye conditions. Called the Recessed Pillow Lens System (or RPLS ), this is a unique form of piggy back contact lens system that utilizes a proprietary recess or cut out on the front surface of a customized soft lens that allows for the placement of a rigid lens within the recess.
This system creates a vision correction modality where the soft recess/pillow lens positions the lens and the contained rigid gas permeable lens provides the optimal vision correction. So what are the advantages of the RPLS? The soft pillow lens makes sure that the lens system is centered on the eye. This allows the rigid gas permeable lens to position over the pupil and visual axis. Often in keratoconus, especially more advanced cases, the rigid lens will position off center and position over the apex of the cone. Most keratoconuscases have an apex that is not centered and most commonly is inferior on the cornea. Second, the soft pillow lens provides additional comfort over having a rigid lens directly contacting the highly sensitive keratoconic cornea. For the same reason the pillow lens is protective to the cornea in that it avoids mechanical abrasion that is common to rigid lenses fit to keratoconiccorneas. The beauty of the RPLS is that we can fit virtually any rigid lens design within the recess lens. All types of keratoconic and custom rigid lens designs can be used in order to provide the optimal vision for the keratoconic patient.
The RPLS is also applicable for many other ocular and vision conditions including: other causes of corneal surface irregularity (post trauma, post corneal surgery, post refractive surgery, etc.), multifocal contact lens fitting where rigid lenses provide excellent vision but are not accepted comfort wise, and even on normal corneas where the optics of a rigid lens are desired/required but the comfort or positioning is not acceptable.
The RPLS is developed by Fusion Technologies and EyeVis Eye and Vision Technologies and Research Institute. Dr. Eiden is co-founder and president of EyeVis Eye and Vision Technologies and Research Institute. For more information on the RPLS or keratoconus please feel free to visit our website at www.nsvc.com or to e-mail Dr. Eiden at [email protected]
Dr. S. Barry Eiden of North Suburban Vision Consultants and EyeVis Eye and Vision Technologies and Research Institute