Kerasoft cl

[Andrew MacLean]

Not me. I have never really enjoyed much success with any soft lens, but I do understand that the new generation of soft lenses are made from novel materials that offer better fit, better comfort, better gas exchange and better vision.

[Grant]

I wore them for couple of years, if you do a search on my name you'll find a few posts. If there are any other specific questions, ask away.

[RyanP]

I had cxl done a few months back and I'm due to collect my first set of soft lenses next Wednesday! For once I'm not being too optimistic as I didn't get on with them brilliantly when they were getting my prescription with them in (was really hard to open my left eye with it in)

Hopefully with measurements etc done it may be OK

[CrippsCorner]

Hi I have just ordered my first set of contacts to tackle KC, and I've opted for Kerasoft simply because they're a name I've often seen pop up on here. I have a few questions (hope you don't mind me jumping in on your thread!)

I ordered simply 'Kerasoft' without mentioned 2, 3 or IC... will the 'fitting kit' come with all different types? Going by what I've read on here, it seems IC has the most success, so I'd like to try these the most. Will other soft lenses for KC be much the same? I've since read about Rose K contacts being superior, and hope I've not made a mistake with my order.

When I was at the hospital they recommended I stuck to glasses for the time being, however I find reading and driving hard, so took it upon myself to investigate into contacts. I explained my issue with driving to my optician (that looking left or right appears warped) and he told me there are special glasses lenses you can get to combat this... has anyone on here tried these!? He did warn me that Kerasoft might not give me any better vision that my glasses, but I thought I'd give them a go anyway.

If soft lenses do not work out for me, would you recommend hybrid or scleral lenses? I want to avoid RGP's for as long as possible because it seems they cause the most issues with discomfort etc. although of course (annoyingly) the best vision!

[GarethB]

I've worn the Kerasoft IC since before they were launched, I was lucky enough to take part in some of the trials.

First lenses that meant I could truly see all day with absolutely no discomfort. They fit so nicely on the eye I have yet to find anything get under them unlike RGP's.

This must be my sixth year in Kerasoft lenses, started with the Kerasoft II which I found useless and was vocal about here so the manufacturers invited me to try the Kerasoft 3 they were developing which is an extremely good lens but the Kerasoft IC takes this to another level.

The biggest commnet I get from people I meet that have moved to these lenses is 'Why don't the NHS prescribe this type of lens at the start, sooo much more comfortable than an RGP and the vision is just as good if not better!'

For me I get better vision than an RGP which only allowed 6/6 in left eye and 6/9 in the right eye on a good day. With the Kerasoft IC I get 6/5 in both eyes and a bad day is only getting 6/6! Average wear time is 16 hours versus the 8 hours the hospital I go to recommends people wear RGP lenses, on occasions I have gone in excess of 20 hours on consecutive days. Since wearing these lenses my hospital no longer recommends that I take a couple of days off per week from lens wear to let my eyes recover from the stress RGP's can put on the eye.

Other lenses are available, what works for one may not work for another. Anyone who tries a soft lens many years ago and found they didn't get on with them may well find with the current generation of soft lenses that they may actually work for them this time around.

The nature of our eyes and the advancement in lens technology means two constantly moving targets that we are aiming at!

[CrippsCorner]

That's great to hear, thanks for replying! My optician strongly recommended starting with RGP's, or even hybrid contacts... however I pushed that I wanted to start with soft ones to see how I get on. I understand from reading on here how bloody subjective they really are, so thought I'd start with the most comfortable ones that should have the lowest impact on my life. Are the Toric ones mentioned basically the same sort of thing?

I phoned up yesterday about something and once again forgot to insist it was the 'IC' range I wanted... would they automatically order these ones do you think, knowing that I have KC?

To be honest my KC is still quite mild, and I can 'see' okay with glasses, it's really just driving and reading that is a pain... I do get halos and double vision with almost everything but I can mostly learn to ignore that. I'm thinking that I might continue to wear glasses at the weekends when I'm not doing either of the above things, and use contacts for driving to and from work, working at the computer and watching TV.

Can anyone tell me how much I'll be paying for these contacts privately? I've heard £108 a pair thrown around (replaced every 6 months?) but I'm not too sure on that. I was surprised to hear the hybrids would set me back £365!

Oh and just to clarify, I wasn't told I was 'better off' with glasses as such... they just said stick with them until you really need contacts. However I feel I know my vision better than they do!

[GarethB]

There are about three differnt types of soft lenses I believe.

I used to be on Kerasoft 3 which might still be available, if it is then the hospital might order these as they are also designed for people with KC. The Kerasoft IC has a wider fitting range and the IC stands for Irregular Cornea which KC is. These two are made by Ultravision, I have no idea on proce as I get these on the NHS through my hospital so £54 per eye (think I have the NHS charge correct, not hd to get new lenses for 12 months!).

The reason we are advised in the early stages of KC to stick to glass is because due to the size and weight of the lens on a damaged cornea it will mold it to some degree, either pushing it flatter or drawing the cone out slightly. RGP's do this more, soft lens can but very slightly. I wore RGP lenses for 4 years andw were considered a very good fit, but for my corneas to return to their more normal keratoconic shape took 12 - 18 months!

So once you have RGP's and get used to them, you will probably find your glasses completly useless if you go back to them straight after wearing the lenses. This is one reason so many people insist their KC has suddently got worse once they have gone to the RGP lenses. The same is true of c the soft lenses, but I had my glasses done after a month of no soft lens wear (don't work for my right eye too fare gone, but left can get 6/9 with glasses) I can swap between glasses and soft lenses without too much problems. Never could with RGP lenses.

[CrippsCorner]

Must admit I'm not looking forward to finding out how much the Kerasoft contacts are going to set me back... but my hospital wasn't interested, "Go and see a regular optician" was the advice I was given. So I guess I've gone 'private' but the care I'm getting now is incredible, it's worth paying for imo.

Anyway, received a message earlier telling me the fitting kit will be ready on Saturday. Kind of nervous but also excited to give them a go.

[GarethB]

Good luck for Saturday

One thing I have many optomotrists admit to me and patients have endorsed this too is that when optoms try an RGP lens in your eye for the first time they give you an anaethetic eye drop so you don't notice how uncomfortable they can be if you've never worn them before!

If you have never worn a contact lens of any type before, you will feel the soft lens because it isn't normal to have something in your eye.

Make sure your optom follows these simple MoRoCo rules for fitting a lens.

MOvement; is the lens moving as it should, wild movements means there's little point continuing.
ROtation; is the lens in the correctect orientation, if slightly off is it within accepted criteria. Basically the laser mark should be in the 6 oclock position, it can be off slightly but only within certain tolerances. Stable rotation with a laser mark at the 9 oclcock position means you're on a hiding to nothing. I've heard options mention they have stable roation at 9 oclock but when the melns is made for the patient it doesn't work, why? Basicaaly they have failed to follow the fitting guide and wasted everyones time.
COmfort; how comfortable is the lens? Are there specific areas the lens can be felt?

Give plent of detail (which goes for any lens / hospital appointment)

Then with luck it is just a case of going through the standard eye test to determine the lens power and again detail is important.

The Kerasoft web site has loads of useful information for patients and professionals alike to make fitting and caring for the lenses better.

My hospital didn't have much choice in prescribing my lenses, after slating the Kerasoft lens I was invited to take part in the clinical trials fr the next generation. As they gave perfect vision and no use to anyone else I was allowed to keep them and wore them to my next appointmnet. Had the usual what lenses are you wearing and showed them the bottles, they made a note and sorted out replacements as at that time I was on 3 monthly disposables, now on the annhual lenses. If they had read my notes before I went in they would of known the lenses they had prescribed so I did take a little advantage of the lack of time NHS staff can spare us, but that was about six years ago. Now they just accept what lenses I turn up in and they'll be in for a surprise this time around!

[munster]

I currently wear Kerasoft 2 lenses.

I have tried Kerasoft ICs and found they give me a very slight irritation, and also variable vision with blinking.

You will find that different lenses suit different eyes. You just gotta keep trying different ones till you find some that just work.