i've just been grafted!

[madeye]

Hey Everyone,

Although I have just registered I have been a regular “guest” user of the KC site and forum for a number of years. I’d just like to say what an excellent “thing” it is.

I am 30 years old and was diagnosed with KC 16 years earlier. The KC progressed rapidly in my right eye (although strangely remains subclinical in the left) and by the age of 20 the words “corneal transplant” was muttered by my consultant. The word transplant scared me and for the next 10 years I muddled with glasses. The glasses did nothing to improve my vision in the right eye but I was unable to tolerate all variations of contact lens. Last year I had enough. Although it was impossible for my vision in the right eye to get worse, I was becoming increasingly sensitive to light, driving at night became difficult and I was frustrated that I could no longer recognise people even if they were only a few feet away. Gordon, my local optician, took the time to listen to my concerns (or moans!), empathise with me and put it quite bluntly “what do you have to lose?” I picked the phone up and called my consultant...

I had my corneal graft, DLK, on the 6th March and was off home the next day, all had gone well. The pharmacy had given me a bad of goodies: oral steroids for a week, a few days of Diamox (to reduce the pressure behind the eye) and four times a day drops (Maxidex and chloramphenicol).

There was no pain just discomfort as if a contact lens had been left in too long. No redness or swelling. For the first week my main issues were my eyes watering almost constantly (I’m sure you could have bottled it and sold it!), some grittiness which I’m putting down to the stitches rubbing against my eye and light sensitivity. Does anyone know how long the light sensitivity will last? I’ve got these really funky goggles which get me some strange looks as I walk down the street. If I can find out how I’ll upload a pic.

I had my first follow up appointment last Thursday. My consultant was very happy. Through my good eye I could see a broad smile. He doesn’t want to see me a month – I’ll put that down to the good progress rather than the fact his clinics are fully booked!!

My vision in the right eye for 10 days post-op is quite good. Although I can’t quite keep the eye open, for those split seconds, I can see objects quite far – it’s strangely exciting. I’m trying hard not to strain and so have self imposed a ban on TV.

What they don’t tell you at the pre-op assessment is how bored you feel afterwards! I think I’ve phoned everyone I know (twice!). I’m itching to get back to work just for something to do. I was hoping to go back to work after 2 weeks if the sensitivity to light settles down. Am I being too ambitious?

It has been good to read through Lucy’s, Johnny’s and Red-Eye’s recent posts and blogs. I’m feeling very lonely at home and it’s good to know there are others who are sharing the same experiences at the same time.

I’ll be in touch soon
chaz xx

[red-eye]

Hi Chaz and congratulations

As to the light sensitivity, mine went down dramatically towards the end of the second week and by the third it was completely gone.

If you really feel up to going back to work, maybe you can have a word with your employer to go back part-time and then gradually increase your hours?

Yes, get that pic of your funky goggles up, I wanna see

Just keep resting and ofcourse keep us updated with your progress.

Red

[Andrew MacLean]

chaz

Welcome to the forum. Well done on your graft! We tend to alternate between transplant and graft, although I think 'transplant' is probably more accurate.

Thank goodness for people like your optician, Gordon.

I know that feeling of having a lens in a recently grafted eye! My light sensitivity still continues although less than before. I wear broad brimmed hats and very stylish prescription sunglasses.

All the best. As to going back to work soon, try to be patient; your doc won't keep you off longer than needs be!

Andrew

[rosemary johnson]

Hi! SOrry to hear about the boredom.
I know what you mean about light sensitivity - it was the bane of my life, and the reason I got referred round to the "medical" (rather than contact lens) part of the hospital for hte first time in years. Except they did nothing about the light sensitivty and offered grafts (plural) instead.
I never got really bad extra light sensitivity post-graft - but aybe that's cos I was already very sensitive!
I've always been markedly more light-sensitive with a lens in than without. I reckoned 3 days post graft that the grafted eye was about as hypersensitive "naked" as the other eye is with a lens in. Nearly 14 months on, that hasn't changed. WIth a lens in, it's worse - or was when I last tried wearing a lens in it.
I'll hope and trust your extra sensitivity is op-related and wears off soon. Meanwhile, the funky goggles should good.
Rosemary

[crakerjacker]

Hi

I was hoping to get back to work within 2 weeks but ended up having 5 weeks. I believe Lucy did too. Suppose it depends what your occupation is and what environment you work in.

[davesingh1]

hi everyone

ive just been grafed aswell im new to this site but again ive always looked for info from it.

i noticed after a few months of working in a new company about 5 years ago that my eye sight was worsening in my left eye after a visit to my optician he recommended gas p lenses i used this for three years and then got fed up and stoped wearing them. i did this because my right eye had perfect vision and i could cope after i tested myself for a week. after a 2 years of this i went back to my optician to have an eye test on my good eye my optician thought i had moved as he hadn't seen me for so long, right eye was still good but the left eye had got worse-cornea had dropped and it was past the lens stage as he said he wouldnt be able to get 1 to fit he suggested carry on life the way i was doing as before as i was'nt using my left eye for vision anymore or go for the op he reffered me to my local nhs hospital and i met a consultant i wasnt to impressed. i new some1 who had the same condition as me so i went to see him and decided to go for the op there, (it worked really well for him) so with this confidence and reassurance from my freind i made the consultation went to see the surgeon and wihin 60 days had the cornea graph on the 2nd march 2009.

best move i have ever made about four hours after the op the consultant took my patch off to do some checks and i could see the diffirence straight away,
amazing bit like "1080hd" i went back after 7 days and he was well happy with the op he did a test on my vision through a small whole in a spatular device and i could read to about three lines down my next appointments on the 30 march just gota wait now should all be sorted in a year

im off work for six weeks a little bit board ive had all the symptoms watering eyes everything went bright but after 14 days i was walking ariund without shades etc


dave singh
peterborough
if any1 has any questions drop me a msg always willing to help got plenty of time on my hands.

[Andrew MacLean]

Dave

Welcome to the forum

Waiting is the biggest part of recovery!

Andrew

[madeye]

Hey Everyone,

Sorry Its been a while since my last post.

Ok, Red wanted to see a pic of the goggles I'm wearing to scare kids and vulnerable people in the street
They are silly I know but my eyes are still really light sensitive and they are the only things that help.

I've decided to go back to work tomorrow. It will only be 3 weeks on Friday since the op but I'm really bored at home!! My boss has been supportive and agreed to take it on a day by day basis to see what my "eyes are up to". Oh, do people wear an eye patch/pad at work to stop them straining their eye.

I'll hopefully make the conference in June. Do we need to register?
Cheers, C

[GarethB]

Madeye,

Try these Spectacles Tornado safety wrap around polycarbonate lenses black Arkon



They do a couple of tints and the picture has the intermediate, the black lenses are black and 100% UV absorbing, they are as dark as your goggles but less frightening to kids and people of a nervous disposition

I used to wear an eye patch but only once my eye got tierd, never wore one all the time because I was told that might encourage the eye to become lazy.

Until recently I did have to wear a lesn in one eye and half way through the day remove it and put a lens in the other eye just so I could see for a full day at work. I did find that even through this, when I went back to using both eyes togetehr it was diifficult initiallyas the eyes were not used to working toget5her if that makes sense.

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Chaz
Good to hear that things are going well for you - hope that's still true now you've gone back to work! You asked about the conference. Yes, people will need to book a place. We'll only be able to have around 120 delegates, and our membership is around 1600 so clearly not everyone will be able to come. We will be sending out booking forms for the conference at the end of next month to all our postal mailing list members. So if you're not already on our mailing list, here's a good incentive to join! Just e-mail your postal address to anne@keratoconus-group.org.uk
Happy healing to you (and to Dave)
Anne