A scleral contact lens that mounts to a sclera of an eye, comprising: a core having an outer surface that faces outwards away from the eye, and an inner surface that faces inwards towards a cornea of the eye; the core carrying a payload; a gas-permeable outer covering over the core's outer surface, the outer covering and the core's outer surface forming an outer interstital cavity therebetween that receives oxygen from the external environment through the gas-permeable outer covering; and a gas-permeable inner covering under the core's inner surface and disposed over the cornea of the eye, the inner covering and the core's inner surface forming an inner interstital cavity therebetween that passes oxygen to the cornea of the eye through the gas-permeable inner covering; wherein the core contains an air path traversing the core from the outer interstital cavity to the inner interstital cavity; wherein at least one of the core's outer surface and the outer covering's inner surface comprises a patterned structure, the patterned structure has a plurality of recesses interspersed with a plurality of supports, the core and outer covering contact each other at the supports, and the recesses form the outer interstital cavity; and wherein the patterned structure comprises a pattern of blind holes, and wherein the pattern of blind holes comprises: a first plurality of non-overlapping blind holes, each having a first depth and a first radius; and a second plurality of blind holes overlaying the first plurality of blind holes, each having a second depth shallower than the first depth and a second radius larger than the first radius, wherein the second plurality of blind holes overlap with each other to form a plurality of columns between the first plurality of blind holes. a core having an outer surface that faces outwards away from the eye, and an inner surface that faces inwards towards a cornea of the eye; the core carrying a payload; a gas-permeable outer covering over the core's outer surface, the outer covering and the core's outer surface forming an outer interstital cavity therebetween that receives oxygen from the external environment through the gas-permeable outer covering; and a gas-permeable inner covering under the core's inner surface and disposed over the cornea of the eye, the inner covering and the core's inner surface forming an inner interstital cavity therebetween that passes oxygen to the cornea of the eye through the gas-permeable inner covering; wherein the core contains an air path traversing the core from the outer interstital cavity to the inner interstital cavity; wherein at least one of the core's outer surface and the outer covering's inner surface comprises a patterned structure, the patterned structure has a plurality of recesses interspersed with a plurality of supports, the core and outer covering contact each other at the supports, and the recesses form the outer interstital cavity; and wherein the patterned structure comprises a pattern of blind holes, and wherein the pattern of blind holes comprises: a first plurality of non-overlapping blind holes, each having a first depth and a first radius; and a second plurality of blind holes overlaying the first plurality of blind holes, each having a second depth shallower than the first depth and a second radius larger than the first radius, wherein the second plurality of blind holes overlap with each other to form a plurality of columns between the first plurality of blind holes. a first plurality of non-overlapping blind holes, each having a first depth and a first radius; and a second plurality of blind holes overlaying the first plurality of blind holes, each having a second depth shallower than the first depth and a second radius larger than the first radius, wherein the second plurality of blind holes overlap with each other to form a plurality of columns between the first plurality of blind holes.