New RGP user. Advice needed

[tsgray70]

Hi Everybody

I am early 40's and was diagnosed about 15 years ago. I live in Leicester and I have managed with specs until February this year and was then told that specs would just not do it any longer. I had my RGP lenses fitted and things have got gradually better but they are still uncomfortable to wear for long periods. Its been 5 months now.

I started with Options Multi solution which is what the optician recommended, then tried Boston cleaner and conditioning solution after some irritation, now I am back on the options again.

I find that I squint all the time. Is this ever going to get better? I am now considering going to another optician and just going back to specs. I really miss the convenience of them and I am so tired of squinting.

All advice is gratefully received.

[Anne Klepacz]

Hello and welcome to the forum,
I'm wondering what you mean by 'long' periods? Optometrists usually recommend about 12 hours a day (though some people manage more than this). Quite a few people have back up glasses which they wear when their eyes are tired of lenses at the end of the day.
And are you getting your rgps from a High St optician? Most of us go to a hospital eye clinic for our KC - that's where the experts in fitting lenses for KC are. So it might be worth getting your GP to refer you to the hospital at Leicester. There's quite a variety of different contact lenses for KC these days, and it could be that a different design would work better for you. And if you'd like our information booklet on KC, just e-mail your postal address to anne@keratoconus-group.org.uk and I'll send you a copy.
Anne

[tsgray70]

Thanks for the reply.

I can keep them in for 8 hours or so but I always know that they are there and they can get really uncomfortable. I have persevered because the improvement in vision is dramatic. At 5 months I was hoping that I wouldn't notice them by now. Also, the squinting all of the time is a pain. I seem to be so sensitive to light.

I cant decide whether to persevere or just go back to specs. I bought the lenses from a high st optician and they cost £450. I was referred to the hospital years go but every time I went for an appt I waited for hours and they took photos of my eyes. Nothing else ever happened and I wasn't sure why I was going to be honest.

[CrippsCorner]

I would battle on with the NHS tbh... I too started trialing lenses privately at first but found it to be so expensive, whereas with the NHS you'll never pay more than £108 per year.

Do you know how bad your keratoconus is? If you were okay with glasses for so long I would say it's moderate or just over. Have you tried specialist soft lenses? My own keratoconus is moderate and I have tried various lenses including soft and hard and I found RGP's were only slightly better than soft's, but of course much more uncomfortable... overall I've stuck with the soft ones. I also find switching between them and glasses much easier than with RGP's. I can get about 15 hours per day out of soft's and they still don't feel uncomfortable, just get a bit blurry.

[Grant]

I'd echo Cripps comments, get back into the loop with the NHS. You and I appear to be twins; early 40s, the 15 years and could not get on with RGPs to begin with. Well done on lasting 5 months, I gave up much sooner than that. The Optometry team at Leicester Royal changed me over to soft lenses (with a small amount of persuasion that I really wasn't going to get used to RGPs) and they were a godsend - the level of comfort in comparison to RGPs was like night and day.

Interestingly, after wearing softs for a couple of years I chose to try going back to RGPs as the softs were by this stage only just getting me to driving standard. Worried that they would be unbearable again, I was surprised that they didn't feel all that different from the softs - I think wearing the softs had 'coached' my eyes into being more accepting of contacts making the transition back to RGPs that much easier.

[Lia Williams]

I can keep them in for 8 hours or so but I always know that they are there and they can get really uncomfortable.

RGPs shouldn't really be uncomfortable. Have you been back to your optician since you were fitted with your lenses? I would have thought that you would have been checked after a month or so and then again at six months. It may be that a small change to the lens prescription is required. This isn't unusual as fitting KC eyes in sometimes described as being an art as much as a science. Also eight hours isn't really long enough as it doesn't really cover the working day. Do go back to your optician and ask if the prescription can be adjusted.

Lia

[tsgray70]

I have booked in at Boots Opticians for the 25th and I am hoping to go back to wearing glasses.

I have given up on my original optician. When I first went they massively underestimated the costs involved. I originally went to them as they were KC specialists and was told if suitable, the lenses would be about £150. They were £450. Then when we were talking about back up specs they again said that they were going to do me a special deal but it was till going to be in excess of another £400. It just felt like I was viewed as a cash point.

The first set of lenses were awful and they changed them, this set gives great vision but are so uncomfortable. I have tried different cleansing solutions and eye sprays. I just want to cut my losses now and try and get back into specs.

[CrippsCorner]

Sometimes you're better off sticking to what you're comfortable with, even if the vision isn't quite as good. I still prefer glasses really, in fact I've just ordered a new pair which are Ray-Ban's with reaction lenses and still only came to £270 from a private opticians. I hope you can find a similar deal you're happy with!

[GrandPaClanger]

Might be worth visiting the eye clinic at the LRI. I go there and found the fitters to be very good. Appointment times are not as convieniaint as if you go private but your not faced with a big bill at the end.