cant handle my contacts anymore

[Mabs]

right basically i have been having this problem for a while but i haven't really moaned nor complained about it, but iv come to a point where i cant wear my hard lens anymore, it just hurts my eyes so much and just stops me form doing everything. i don't no what to do anymore, i am so down in the dumps about this.i have another appointment to get a hard lens fitted to my right eye, as it has shown some progression. not looking forward to it, what do i do i need help and advice thank you

[Mabs]

can anyone give me some sort of advice please

[GreigS]

Mabs - Im sorry to hear about your experience.

I know where you are coming from as I could never handle the RGP's that I had to wear initially. Ive currently got a SynergEyes hybrid lens for my right eye which is a bit better (saying that @ times my eye cant cope with that). Im lucky in that Im still able to get by with glasses for the majority of the time but my days with them could be numbered.

Never give up hope because there are options other than the standard RGP's out there.

All the best

Greig

[wortld]

Hi

I can appreciate what you are going through. I had an Intac implanted in my right eye back in February and in August i was agin fitted with a hard contact lens' but although it initially gave me good vision the discomfort increased quite rapidly and soon i was only able to tolerate the lens in for less than an hour a day. I have had endless fittings since then but it always seems to be that no matter what fit of lens they try it causes a problem, aloose fi allows too much slippage and scratches the cornea, a tighter fit puts pressure on the iintac and is painful.

Over the last few weeks they have reverted to fitting a soft lens and although this is comfortable to wear they are struggling to achieve any sort of vision - they can get a good level of vision in the clinic but when the lens is made it does not seem to work, back again tomorrow for another try, and to discuss if i should still proceed with having an intac in my left eye in January - not an option until they sort my right eye. I can not praise the staff at Leicester Royal Infirmary too highly, they always manage to see me staright away if there is aproblem.

Are soft lenses an option for you, i realise that the level of vision achievable may not be as good but if they are more comfortable it may be a compromise worth considering.

All the best and just keep trying.

Dave

[Mabs]

thank you for your replys really appreciate it a lot, i wouldn't mind taking a soft kens however as mentioned earlier aforethough the comfort is there the vision is not, im trying my hardest not to give up but its just really getting to me now. just for doin normal day task im finding it hard to do its like climbing a mountain without hands out legs

thank you

[GarethB]

Hi Mabs

Has anyone suggested why the lens comfort is so bad for you or why soft lenses don't work?

If your KC has progressed perhaps it might be worth considering intacs to make th cornea surface easier to fit a lens to?

I know quite afew people who have had this and some where they get perfectly good vision with glasses after the intacs.

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Mabs - just to add in a couple of other options. Quite a few people get on well using a piggy backing system - wearing a soft lens underneath the hard lens. Another option is scleral lenses - the big lenses which cover the whole eye and don't touch the cornea at all. Again we have quite a few members who get on very well with those when they couldn't tolerate the small hard lenses. Hopefully some people who use both these options will be along soon to tell you about their experience. So don't give up!
Anne

[Mabs]

Hi Mabs - just to add in a couple of other options. Quite a few people get on well using a piggy backing system - wearing a soft lens underneath the hard lens. Another option is scleral lenses - the big lenses which cover the whole eye and don't touch the cornea at all. Again we have quite a few members who get on very well with those when they couldn't tolerate the small hard lenses. Hopefully some people who use both these options will be along soon to tell you about their experience. So don't give up!
Anne

i have asked about this lens and apprently the nhs will not cover me for this. but i guess i have to get use to it, but ive tries the the piggy back methods and that too starts to affect me, i guess i have no hope left but to get use to it really

[Andrew MacLean]

??

Loads of people on the forum (myself included) have had scleral lenses on the NHS. Arm yourself with information and go back and challenge whoever it was who said that the nhs did not cover for that sort of lens.

Be empowered.

Andrew

[GarethB]

Having spoken to optoms recently, it comes doewn to cost!

Disgraceful really as what price do you put on quality of life?

When my lenses start dispensing my soft lenses, the lenses themselves will cost more than the RGP's howver after the initial outlay the hospital will actually save as I am no longer being seen monthly and (tempting fete) had no need to visit eye casualty for 12 months now because of the RGP lenses I had. This means they can treat more people and my after care is about one tenth what it was so overall there is a saving to my hospital with respect to my treatment.

The synical side of me says your hospital doesn't know or have had bad expereinces when it comes to fitting sclerals which is a reason I have found some optoms won't fit soft lenses.

As Andrew says, do your own research and make a case for yourself and then see how easy it is for the hospital to argue against it. The other way is do what some people have done regarding scleral and soft lenses and get them fitted privatly if you can afford it and wear them at your next appointment and show they do work for you. In my experience so far most hospitals have backed down and continued with peoples after care.