Cornea graft - please help

[Bobbybingo]

Hi

I had a graft in april this year....please feel free to contact me with any questions ...private message me or email me to bob.hillcock@ntlworld.com.

cheers
Bob

[crakerjacker]

Thanks to everyone who has posted a reply and provided me with information. I feel i now know enough about the procedure, problems, treatment etc.

At the moment i feel its a case of why have it done if i'm managing at the moment with my sight now from my good eye. But then i think if that gets worse will have to have it done anyway so am i just putting off the inevitable.

[sandi sydenham]

Hi

First thing is that I know the thought of a graft sounds scary but just take a deep breath....my daughter had a partial graft nearly 2 years ago now, I know I didn't actually go through it myself but if you want to use me as a sounding board or ask any questions that that would be fine by me. Are you able send me your telephone number?

Sandi

[crakerjacker]

Thanks

Will contact you if i have any questions.

[Lynn White]

Crackerjacker,

At the moment i feel its a case of why have it done if i'm managing at the moment with my sight now from my good eye. But then i think if that gets worse will have to have it done anyway so am i just putting off the inevitable.

This is a very important point. You have not said exactly WHY a graft has been recommended to you. Do you have central scarring? Is your central cornea becoming very thin? Is it because no contact lens will work or the consultant thinks that it is progressing too fast?

Andrew mentioned CXL - this has proved itself in studies in Germany to stop progression and increasing numbers of people are having this done in Europe and in the UK.

Before you make any firm decision I do recommend, as you are indecisive at the moment, that you ask your consultant exactly the reasons why he is recommending a graft. I say this because I saw a patient recently who had a graft on a perfectly clear cornea for the reason that no contact lens could give good vision. He was waiting for one on the other eye. However, the ungrafted eye CAN be fitted with a lens and he was not offered alternatives such as intacs or CXL.

In your case, if you have dense central scarring, then none of the newer surgical methods will be able to restore vision and a graft is the only way to regain sight. If you have a clear cornea but it is very thin, then again the newer methods cannot be done.

Once you have a graft, you can't go back, so you do need to be sure that this is the only way to go. If you know that, then the decision is easier to make and live with. If there is any room for doubt, then since surgical techniques for KC are undergoing rapid development at the moment, it might be wise to wait a little while.

Lynn

[crakerjacker]

Thanks Lynn

The consultant said that the cornea was scarred and also a contact lens wouldn't balance on my eye. The consultant did mention that cross linking could be done on my good eye to help prevent that from progressing. I am awaiting him to contact me with the questions i asked him.

You mentioned that may be wise to wait due to progression in technology. How long could i be waiting for?

[rosemary johnson]

SOrry if this is a silly question and this has been covered long ago....

Has anyone suggested you try a scleral lens?

If not.... because they are larger and fit right over the mishapen area left by theKC, they can often fit and give reasonable results on an eye this is too steep to take a small corneal lens.
Not eveyone takes to them, and everyone has rather a shock when we first see them (!) but for some of us they work well and give good results where other lenses don't.
Rosemary