UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi I have just found your site, but will be back! A bit of background.

I have just reached the grand old age of 42!

My name is Richard and my friends nickname me McB.

Years spent on fast motorbikes led most to believe that I would not get this far. All I have seen on a speedo is 170Mph........

I have a hobby (?) as a photographer and also film and make DVDs of the British HilL climb championship (very fast cars with slicks going up a narrow twisty bit of tarmac). I started this with my wife in 2003, first taking photographs and then somehow progressing to 4 onboard cameras in the cars and 2 video cameras filming the offboard action.

http://www.2T4T.co.uk (sould you be geting bored).

We captured 'awesome' footage last year, the Shelsey Walsh Hill record and several others. Awesome.

As a day job I do computer support. Saturday was a drive to Southhampton starting at 7:30am and working till 22:00 installing software and intense PC screen work.

I did manage to go the wrong way around a set of roadworks and end up on the wrong side of the road on the way back because I was tired.

Keep reading..

Some of the team had flown in from Germany, Amsterdam, America. They worked up to 16 hours, 2 days running, to do the task.

I left at 22:00, they left the next day!

And now, my eyes are sore.

I read your 'Keratoconus At Work' leaflet tonight, became angry, printed it and gave the copy to my wife. I cried some more.

1988 full PK (? the complete drill through!) to left eye, very little advice, now with permanent hard uncomfortable contact lens. Vision without lens = cannot see anything realy. Right eye also KC with less steep angle lens and slightly more comfortable. Vision wthout lens enough to get about the house with.

I cried (I ain't no wimp) because the leaflet expains my daily 'GRIEF' with KC - every single point was an EYE opener.

I keep thinking I am making excuses, I never knew my vision was variable due to KC, the bright lights, sunglasses, Halos, ect.

I live with those things on a day to day basis. No body EVER told me.

Richard Dunn

http://www.2T4T.co.uk
http://www.rjdunn.co.uk
http://www.virusnews.co.uk
http://www.ciderhouse.info

All my own works. Currently suffering from bad eye 'strain' or something. {Could do with advice from someone, basically some VDU screens cause me serious grief. I used to get a big protein (??) build up on lenses circa 1997 if I used a VDU with a window or bright light source behind). Now it seems (suddenly) to be a problem with low refresh rate CRT monitors (60 Hz ).

My VDU screen at work had a window about 15m away behind it until 2 weeks ago> Now I have moved. It is much better, but eyes feel still strained from the 18 onths of intense using it like that.

Also I have got lots of floaters in the last 18 months, never having had one before. I have had my 'annual' check up since. But don't feel anymore ENLIGHTENED.

WE bye the way 'we' have a new advertising stream. All future DVDs and the 2T4T web will carry a link to THIS site.

Membership afterall is a birth rite.

Richard

That's all folks (sorry for the essay).

Richard

Welcome to the forum!

I can assure you it wasnt an essay..although when I first read it, when I got 1/3 way through I thought you may be a spammer lol.....

When you do get a second, do search this forum and youll find many posts which cover many areas of KC....which I am sure you'll find of value....

Its sad to hear that you was not given any information (or rather correct information) prior and during your graft.....but I would like to suspect that with this Website and Forum; you may gain extensive information which can help you going forward

Hope that helps

Jay

Another petrol head, my KC problems returned in 2004 when I had trouble during an endurance race at the Nurburgring, dusk was well bad. Got bak and found I was not legal to drive let alone race. At least that explained why the Capri RS3100 kept up with the ford Cosworths

Can't race any more but I can do track days

I have had some changes made at work regarding VDU monitors, basically large flat screen monitor, HSE VDU assesment which meant i could choose exactly where I sat in the office where the lighting was comfortable for me and away from the direct blow from the airconditioning.

Still have problems with eyes and lenses becoming very dry. Worked through a range of eye drops and found Systane the best. Basically depnding on humidity of the office which means remving a lens and using drops every 1 - 3 hours but means I do have a lot more comfort. Most of the time I wear one lens at a time, you get used to changing from vision in left changing to only vision in the right. That way my eyes don't get irritated with excessive lens wear. with this alternating I can get a max 30 hours lens wear (each eye 15 hours each)but would have to go the following day with no lenses.

Access to work, RNIB and action for the blind are really helpful in assesing your work environment and recomending changes that may help. Access to work will pay for something like 80% of the cost if it is over a certain amount so eases the blow to your employers.

As the days get brighter I am spending more time looking ata compuer with sunglasses on, despite my flat screen monitor having brightness and contrast as low as they go. Lowering the red and green ratio and upping the blue helps too. great controlling the monitor set up independent of the pc.

Most of my time outside is with really dark shades and my every day cars have a light screen tint specifically designed to reduce glare.

RS is the only car without a tint, I have that on my skid lid instead.

Ask as many questions you like and share your experiences, we are afterall here to support each other.

Oh and I have had 2 PK grafts, one in each eye 18 years ago and had KC 20 years now and still learning something new.

Welcome

Gareth

McB

Glad to welcome you to the forum! And thank you for all the background information.

I've had one PK (right eye) and see my ophthalmologist tomorrow about a gargt into my left eye.

by the way, 42 is a very good age to be. On my 42nd birthday, students at the University where I worked at the time pinned to my door a hand written note that read, "Life, the Universe and Everything". (those who are H2G2 fans will recognize the reference, those who are not cannot accuse me of corrupting them.)

Andrew

It sounds to me like you have achieved a lot in your life to be proud of. However it is nice and a huge relief to realise you are not alone. I was lucky in a way my sister has KC so we were and are each others support groups, but we all have bad days and better days. However to learn what you are experiencing is the condition and not you is a huge relief in some ways and yet raises more questions. It is a great site and very understanding that we all have different experiences. KC is a strong link though.