Scleral contact lenses have been effectively utilized at the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute since 2010. They offer an alternative to traditional rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses for those with severe corneal disease such as keratoconus or those with severe dry eye. These lenses are much larger than standard RGP’s and vault over the cornea resting on the sclera or white part of the eye. New contact lens materials that are extremely oxygen permeable, along with a liquid reservoir, make these lenses a comfortable option. See the linked article below from Mayo clinic that highlights some of the advantages of scleral contact lenses.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/medicalprofs/scleral-contact-lens-corneal-disease-opu0102.html