Quicktopic posts: Dec 2002

[Sue Ingram]

Hi Clare (1246), What great news - glad the practitioner was patient and understanding - doesn't it make a difference? Good luck with your new lenses when you get them - let us know how you get on. Glad you feel a bit more optimistic now; hopefully you are on the way to finding the right solution for you. Have a wonderful Christmas and successful New Year - don't let KC beat you! Take care. SUE

[Dhiren Nakrani]

Hope everyone has a fantastic xmas and new years! Il be making a toast to good sight!

Dhiren

*DEE-LITE*




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[harpomatrix@yahoo.co.uk]

Hi

Just want to ask a question about my acute hydrops. Its now been 4 weeks 5 days. Still no improvement in the way my cornea bulges, the colour of it or the vision. Its worrying me that I thought by now there would be some sign.

Am I going to continue at this very slow pace in recovery or will there be a certain point where it increases at all. My next appointment is in 3 weeks and I do not think by then there still will be any improvement.

I am currently relying solely on my left eye. How much added pressure or strain will this put on an eye that is not that strong anyway.

[Robert Gavin: KCenter.org]

Dear Mike & Rosemary,

Just to clarify something: We are a nonprofit charity based in the USA; we are not a commercial entity. In addition, I approached your organization after being approached by someone from your charity several years ago. Nevertheless, we are only concerned about curing keratoconus and nothing else. We are expanding worldwide and asked your organization to join our team but your organization played hard ball for one reason or another. I am willing to discuss possible synergies for the best interest of the keratoconus community. In the meantime, we will be starting a local chapter in the UK next year.

Best regards,

__________________________
Robert Gavin
President

Center for Keratoconus
1411 W. Covell #106-206
Davis, CA 95616

Tel: (877) 469-5508
Fax: (877) 469-5508

email: robert@kcenter.org

Worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to curing keratoconus.
http://www.kcenter.org

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http://www.kcenter.org/news/what_is_keratoconus.html

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http://messages.kcenter.org

Donate a car to help us restore vision and receive a tax write-off.
http://www.carsforsight.org

Donate a gift (appliances, electronics, furniture) to help fight KC.
http://www.giftsforsight.org

[Marc Guadagnino]

Hello,

I have just read your below mentioned message ,which was sent over 2 years ago, concerning entry into the Police Force. I notice nobody appears to have replied to this query.

I am now faced with a similiar problem and was wondering if you now have an answer?

Thanks

Marc

Hi All. Does anyone have any experience of KC and its restrictions (if any) to joining the Regular Police Service? As a KC sufferer my levels of vision are within the police requirements, but will; KC itself preclude entry?

[jayuk]

Marc

I can maybe shed light here

WIthin the force you must be able to see CORRECTED, if need be, to the standards they require

Here is an example of the requirements and procedures for joining a force in the midlands..I wasnt aware of the CORRECTiVE EYE TREATMENT part so I learnt something today!!

Eyesight
Applicants will have their eyesight tested at the medical stage. You will be asked to go to an optician to have your eyes tested and the eyesight form filled in prior to this. Failure to pass this test will lead to rejection.

The current eyesight standards are:

Aided vision (wearing lenses or spectacles)
6/12 or better in either eye (5th line down on opticianÂ’s chart) and 6/6 or better using both eyes (binocular vision) is required.

Near vision
N6 at 40 cm with both eyes together (aided).

Colour vision
Severe colour vision deficiencies (monochromats) are not acceptable. Anomalous trichromats are acceptable. Severe anomolous trichromats or dichromats are aceptable but you will need to be aware of the deficiency and make appropriate adjustments. The use of colour correcting lenses is not acceptable.

Corrective eye treatment - Forces will:
Reject applicants who have undergone Radial Keratotomy (RK), Arcuate Keratotomy or corneal grafts due to the side effects of these treatments.
Accept applications from people who have undergone Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK), LASIK or LASEK surgery provided that six weeks have elapsed since surgery, there are no residual side effects and the other eyesight standards are met.

Conditions - Forces will:
Reject applicants with a history of a detached retina or glaucoma.

[Marc Guadagnino]

Jay,

Thanks for replying so quickly.

Yes it would appear that so long as the minimum police eye standards are met at the time of the medical assessment then candidates shouldn't be rejected on the sole basis they have KC.

However, this is only a presumption and so I think perhaps a phone call to the appropriate police medical assessor would be useful.

I shall send the answer once I receive it.

Thanks again!

Marc.

[Marc Guadagnino]

Jay,

Further to our conversation in May I have been able to get in touch with the Royal National Institute for the Blind who inform me, following phone calls to the Met and the Home Office, that Keratoconus should not in itself prevent entry into the Police so long as the minimum standards are met.

Furthermore, the insertion of INTACS is acceptable treatment for the Police. Hence a combination of INTACS and contact lens / glasses should be allowed in order to meet the minimum eyesight levels.

This is of course very good news for those contemplating entry into the Police force.

Marc.

[Ali Akay]

Hi Kim
re:contact lens solutions
I'll bore you with the background but it might be useful! When rules for Hospital Eye Service contact lens provision were drafted in early 80s, hospitals were obliged to make provisions for supplying solutions as part of the patients' treatment. For this reason hospitals with an on-site contact lens clinic should also supply solutions through their outpatients pharmacy.They're not allowed to issue outside prescriptions as community pharmacies aren't allowed to dispense them. In areas where patients are referred to an outside optometrist for fitting this would be difficult and patients would just have to accept purchasing their solutions.But if you are attending a hospital clinic it'd be worth making some inquiries.You'd need to pay the usual prescription charge but usually 3 months supply is issued which would be a big saving