No Lenses For 2 Weeks

[AlexMorgan]

Hello,

I've been asked by my hospital to turn up to an appointment with a cornea consultant having not worn my RGP lens for between 2-4 weeks.

Apart from the issue that my appointment letter has come with barely two weeks until this appointment, I don't think it's possible for me to live without wearing my RGP. I can't realistically drive or work (as a teacher) without it in. I get such headaches and dizziness without it in the thought of a day let alone a fortnight without the lens in makes me stressed!

Am I being ridiculous or are they at the hospital being a bit unreasonable?

Thank you.

Alex

[Anne Klepacz]

I don't think you're being ridiculous at all. The trouble is, medics like to see what the cornea looks like when it has 'demoulded' from the pressure of a rigid contact lens. But for those who are contact lens dependent, leaving the lens out for that length of time means putting life on hold. I have back up glasses which I often wear in the evenings when my eyes have had enough of the lenses - they don't give as good vision as lenses do, but are better than nothing. But even that wouldn't help in this situation. When I had to leave lenses out for a couple of days, by the end of day 2 the glasses were useless as the cornea had demoulded so much that the glasses prescription was totally wrong. Could you ring the consultant's secretary and explain the situation and ask for advice? Either negotiating a shorter time for the lens to be out or maybe rescheduling the appointment for a date at the end of a school holiday period when you could get by.
You're talking about a lens in the singular - do you only wear a lens in one eye?

[AlexMorgan]

Hello Anne,

Thank you for your help. I have one RGP for my right eye and still one 'normal' opticians lens for the left eye despite have KC in both. They have asked for both to be out for 2 weeks, but it's the RGP that I couldn't imagine having out. I did have glasses, but they gave me such bad headaches as they weren't anywhere near the corrective power required to give me adequate vision on the right side.

I will ring the hospital on Monday. It's good to hear I'm not being silly - I just can't cope in the daytime with them being out at all.

We shall see what they say at the hospital.

Thanks again.

Alex

[Xshades]

Hi Alex,

I've just recieved the same information having being referred and I feel the same way, I was told if they werent removed nothing could be done and I should go back to my doctors to have another referral.

Ive decided to take the two weeks off from work prior to the appointment as I really need a second opinion to my situation and support for the long term.

I hope you were able to find a suitable and supportable solution for yourself.

[Lia Williams]

I just wanted to say good luck to both of you for your two weeks without lenses.

I had to go without lenses for a month in the early nineties and it wasn't easy living in a blur. Don't be afraid to ask family for friends for help and do expect to be asked innumerable times 'Why can't you just wear your glasses?".

Lia