Astigmatic Keratotomy - help

[GrandPaClanger]

Good luck for tomorrow.

Ian

[Jezzafletcher]

Go for it Joanne. Sock it to them and the best of luck. Stay in touch.
Jez

[Joanne Poultney]

Thank you for your best wishes. I'm not home from hospital after being kept in overnight. Feeling bruised and battered but other than that I'm ok.

The consent form says I've had a "wedge resection". The surgeon says that he's cut 0.8mm away which should correct anything between 10 and 16 diopters - mine is 13. He put in 14 stitches which may stay in indefinately. It'll take up to 6 months to know the true success of the procedure.

He said that if this doesn't work then the next step is to do a re-graft! I've told him no way am I going through that again - I'd rather give birth than have more eye surgery lol! He was shocked at that but I said at least my child-birth was all done and dusted in 3 hours but with this I've spent hours in pain and discomfort... probably days to come yet.

I was given morphine for the pain last night... all very good for the pain but the morphine didn't agree with me. I felt sick and clammy and then fainted!!

Have been sent home with antibiotic drops to take 4 times a day for 2 weeks and steriod drops to take 4 times a day for a month (then I suppose they'll slowly reduce them like before). I go back next Thursday for a check-up so will update on progress.

[Anne Klepacz]

You have been through the mill! Here's wishing you a restful and hopefully pain free weekend, with lots of tlc from your family. And a good result at the end of the day.
Anne

[Joanne Poultney]

Just a little update on how I'm getting on. On Saturday my eye was very sore and I struggled to keep it open for most of the morning. I dozed a lot but I guess that could be the effects of the anesthetic. Sunday was a lot better but then this morning I struggled to keep my eye open again. I wasn't dozing this time though. This afternoon has been much better so I'm hopeful for better things in the morning!

[Jezzafletcher]

Take it easy and take it slow Jo... That is sounding like a smokey jazz bar song but you know what I mean!!!

[Joanne Poultney]

My eye is feeling a lot better today. I've been for a check-up at the hospital and the consultant was very pleased with it. I could read 3 (blurred!) lines on the chart which was just amazing!!! I need to continue with the antibiotic drops for another week then I can stop them. I will continue with the steriod drops for some time to come.

[Joanne Poultney]

So it's now just over 6 months since I had this procedure done. The stitches have been removed a few at a time and today I had the last 5 removed.

Sadly this procedure hasn't been as a big a success as I or my surgeon hoped for. I started with an astigmatism of around 13 diopters and he's been able to reduce it to around 9 - 10. He explained to me before I agreed to the operation that this type of procedure wasn't well documented so it was a bit of an experimental procedure. Well someone has to be among the first otherwise progress will not be made!

The next step is that I will see the hospital opthalmologist for a contact lens fitting. The surgeon said it's very unlikely that I'll be able to have glasses. I'm gutted at this because I really don't want to go back to wearing a contact lens again! At the moment I feel like saying I'll just stay as I am but I know I may feel differently if a lens can give me god vision so I will go along and see what can be done.

Whatever the outcome, I still have better vision than before my transplant. Before the transplant I couldn't even see a chart let alone any letters. Now I can just about make out the top line. That's progress!

[Nickysells1]

Hi Jo

What kind of lenses are they suggesting? Maybe the Kerasoft IC lenses if these haven't yet been mentioned?

[Joanne Poultney]

I've no idea what sort of lenses they will suggest. I'll update once I've had the appointment.