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About Charlotte Contact Lens Institute

Where Clinical Precision
Meets Compassionate Care

The Charlotte Contact Lens Institute is the premier specialty eye care clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina, dedicated solely to custom contact lenses, complex corneal disease rehabilitation, and pediatric myopia management.

100% Specialty Focused
Fellowship-Trained Specialists
Sub-Micron 3D Elevation Mapping
Top 200 Optometrists in North America
Our Origin & Mission

Founded on Empathy,
Driven by Innovation

"We believe that no patient with complex vision needs should ever be told they are 'out of options' or 'too difficult to fit.'"

The Charlotte Contact Lens Institute was established by Dr. Ariel Cerenzie, OD, FAAO, FSLS, with a deeply personal calling. As a teenager and young adult, Dr. Cerenzie was diagnosed with keratoconus. She spent years navigating the frustration of ever-changing prescriptions, frequent discomfort, and the overwhelming feeling of being labeled a “difficult patient” by traditional eye care providers.

Living through the emotional and visual challenges of irregular corneas ignited her life’s mission: to create a dedicated center of excellence where patients facing similar struggles find genuine empathy, unhurried time, and the world’s most advanced optical technology.

Unlike conventional optical practices that divide their clinical attention between 15-minute routine eye exams and retail eyeglass sales, our practice is 100% focused on specialty contact lenses and myopia control. Every instrument in our exam rooms, every training protocol, and every appointment slot is engineered for one purpose: delivering life-transforming clarity and comfort to patients who need it most.

Schedule a Consultation Call / Text (704) 800-5230
The Charlotte Contact Lens Institute state-of-the-art examination suite
Our Standards

A Practice Built Specifically for
Complex Corneal & Myopia Care

Four distinct clinical principles that differentiate The Charlotte Contact Lens Institute from general optical practices.

Pure Clinical Focus

100% Specialty Dedication

We do not sell retail eyeglass frames or rush through 15-minute screenings. Our practice is devoted entirely to specialty contact lenses, complex corneal rehabilitation, and pediatric myopia control.

Advanced Diagnostics

Sub-Micron 3D Precision

Every cornea and sclera is as unique as a fingerprint. Using high-resolution Scheimpflug tomography, 18mm scleral profiling, and wavefront aberrometry, we map thousands of data points to engineer customized optics.

Comprehensive Care

Unhurried 1.5–2 Hour Visits

Complex corneal cases require unhurried clinical time. Initial diagnostic consultations include ample one-on-one doctor time to listen, evaluate, trial fit, and educate without feeling rushed.

Physician Collaboration

Carolinas Referring Network

We work in close partnership with ophthalmologists, corneal surgeons, and pediatric specialists across North and South Carolina for co-management, surgical rehabilitation, and second opinions.

Clinical Leadership

Meet Our Specialty
Contact Lens Specialists

Residency-trained optometrists with world-recognized distinctions in specialty contact lens design and pediatric myopia management.

Dr. Ariel Cerenzie, OD, FAAO, FSLS holding specialized diagnostic lens FSLS Fellow • Top 200 Optometrist
Founder & Clinical Director

Dr. Ariel Cerenzie

OD, FAAO, FSLS

Dr. Cerenzie completed her Doctor of Optometry degree magna cum laude from the University of Houston College of Optometry and her cornea and contact lens residency at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

She holds prestigious fellowships in both the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) and the Scleral Lens Education Society (FSLS)—an elite honor held by fewer than 300 practitioners worldwide. Dr. Cerenzie was named one of the Top 200 Optometrists in North America by Newsweek.

Scleral Lenses Keratoconus OVITZ Wavefront EyePrintPRO Myopia Control
View Dr. Cerenzie's Bio & Research
Dr. Heather Cipperly, OD Cornea and Contact Lens Specialist Residency-Trained Cornea Specialist
Specialty Contact Lens & Cornea Specialist

Dr. Heather Cipperly

OD

Dr. Heather Cipperly earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Indiana University School of Optometry and subsequently completed an intensive residency in cornea and contact lenses at Nova Southeastern University.

Her dedicated practice focuses on customized scleral lens design, managing complex corneal diseases, and advancing pediatric myopia management. Dr. Cipperly is recognized for her empathetic, gentle patient care and meticulous attention to optical alignment.

Custom Scleral Fits Pediatric Myopia Ortho-K Dry Eye Management Corneal Ectasia
View Dr. Cipperly's Bio & Experience
Advanced Diagnostic Suite

Instruments Beyond What Is Commonly
Found in General Eye Clinics

Sub-micron precision requires instruments engineered specifically for complex corneal and scleral geometry. Explore the technology powering our custom lens fittings.

Oculus Pentacam AXL Wave diagnostic tomography Pentacam AXL Wave
EyePrintPRO and FitPRO 3D elevation impression system EyePrintPRO / FitPRO
Optovue Solix high-definition OCT scanner Optovue Solix OCT
Pentacam AXL Wave Corneal Tomography (AXL Wave)

High-Resolution Anterior & Posterior Corneal Elevation

The Oculus Pentacam AXL Wave performs Scheimpflug corneal tomography to monitor the progression of conditions like keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration, determine candidacy for corneal cross-linking (CXL), and assess proper fit for custom contact lenses. With detailed 3D elevation maps across thousands of data points, Dr. Cerenzie designs freeform contact lenses tailored to your exact corneal anatomy, resulting in superior visual quality and stability.

18mm Elevation Profiling Scleral Topography (Up to 18mm Landing)

Eliminating Redness & Edge Discomfort on Irregular Scleras

Scleral topography customizes scleral lens alignment by mapping a patient’s scleral shape up to an 18 mm diameter. If a scleral lens is uncomfortable, the majority of the time this discomfort is caused by poorly fitting edges. Scleral topography allows for precise landing of the scleral lens, preventing guesswork during the fitting process. In addition, the scleral topography map optimizes fitting over irregular scleral profiles (the majority of scleral profiles are irregular) & scleral obstacles such as pterygia, pingueculae, and blebs—resulting in zero red eyes and all-day comfort.

Sub-Millimeter Tracking Optical Biometry & Axial Length Tracking

Precision Pediatric Myopia Management Down to 0.01 mm

Axial length biometry capabilities monitor eye growth in pediatric patients prescribed myopia management with incredible precision. The earliest signs of myopic progression are detected within 1/100th of a millimeter (0.01 mm), allowing our doctors to proactively adjust treatments like Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) and MiSight before refractive error worsens.

OVITZ xwave Integration Wavefront Aberrometry & Guided Optics

Eliminating Higher-Order Aberrations (Glare, Halos & Starbursts)

Wavefront aberrometry measures how light traverses the optical system of your eye. Utilizing this data with the OVITZ xwave system, our specialists design wavefront-guided specialty lenses that dramatically sharpen vision by canceling out higher-order aberrations (HOAs) that standard glasses or traditional contact lenses cannot correct.

Custom Prosthetics EyePrintPRO 3D Ocular Surface Impressions

Prosthetic Precision for Severely Scarred or Distorted Corneas

When ocular surfaces have undergone trauma, corneal transplants, surgical radial keratotomy (RK), or extreme post-LASIK ectasia where optical scanners struggle, EyePrintPRO captures an exact 3D impression mold of the ocular contours in minutes, generating a prosthetic scleral shell with sub-micron fidelity.

High-Resolution OCT Optovue Solix High-Definition OCT

Anterior Segment Micron-Level Clearance Visualization

The Optovue Solix Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) allows our doctors to view the cross-sectional clearance of each curve of a scleral lens over the cornea and limbus in microns. This microscopic confirmation ensures optimal oxygen transmission, corneal physiology protection, and long-term eye health.

Explore Full Technology Details
Our Environment

A Welcoming, Calm, &
Thoughtfully Designed Space

We understand that many of our patients have endured years of clinical stress, confusing consultations, and uncomfortable lens trials before walking into our practice.

Located in Charlotte’s SouthPark district at 5950 Fairview Road (Suite 708), our clinic was intentionally designed to be calm, modern, and supportive. From private consultation rooms with ergonomic seating to dedicated lens insertion and removal training suites, every detail puts you at ease.

  • Convenient SouthPark location with covered parking & full elevator accessibility
  • Private, quiet diagnostic suites equipped with cutting-edge optical mapping
  • Dedicated hands-on instruction area for scleral insertion, removal, and hygiene
  • Warm, compassionate clinical staff focused exclusively on patient comfort
Take a 360° Tour of Our Office
Patient receiving compassionate specialty contact lens care at Charlotte Contact Lens Institute
Fairview Plaza • Suite 708 5950 Fairview Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210
Patient Outcomes

Real Stories, Life-Changing
Clarity & Comfort

5 out of 5 stars
5.0 Rating on Google Reviews
Google Verified

"After being diagnosed with keratoconus and told by two other eye doctors that I was running out of options, Dr. Cerenzie changed my life. She took nearly two hours on my first visit to map my eyes and fit me with scleral lenses. I am now seeing 20/20 comfortably all day long. The best specialty clinic in the Carolinas!"

Mark R. Verified Google Review
Google Verified

"Dr. Cipperly and the team at Charlotte Contact Lens Institute are unbelievable. My son was rapidly becoming more nearsighted every year. Their myopia management program and gentle, reassuring demeanor made Ortho-K so easy for him. His prescription has completely stabilized!"

Sarah M. Verified Google Review
Google Verified

"I traveled from out of state after failed corneal surgery left me with unbearable glare and double vision. The technology they have here—especially the Pentacam and OVITZ wavefront system—is lightyears ahead of normal eye clinics. Worth every mile traveled."

David T. Verified Google Review
Read all patient reviews on Google →
Begin Your Vision Journey

Experience the Difference at
The Charlotte Contact Lens Institute

Whether you have been newly diagnosed with keratoconus, struggled with uncomfortable contact lenses in the past, or wish to protect your child’s sight with pediatric myopia control—our specialists are here to guide you with clinical excellence and compassion.

Schedule Your Consultation Call / Text: (704) 800-5230