UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi everyone!
Been quite a while since I posted and since then I have had a cornea graft which is almost 6 months old now Everything's going well with the graft but since the operation I've been left with a droopy eyelid which is leaving me looking quite uneven and sleepy-looking! Initially I thought it was swelling from the operation but it has persisted and leaving me quite self-conscious. Every time I've mentioned it to my surgeon since he has sort of shrugged the questions off and not even explained what happened. I've done some research and i'm presuming that the muscle in my eyelid has been stretched during the operation but i'm obviously concerned that my consultant doesn't seem to want to talk about it. It's worse when my eyes are tired at the end of the day and I've been suffering from some headaches because I've been compensating by lifting my brow (leaving me with a sort of quizzical expression!). Anyone else suffered from this post-surgery?
Thanks
Laura

Hi Laura,
I'm glad to hear your graft is doing well. I don't know if anyone has experienced this post surgery, but a friend of mine (who doesn't have KC) had a droopy eyelid which was getting droopier as time went on and she had a successful procedure to have it 'lifted' which seemed quite straightforward. So I guess that's probably something that could be done for you once the graft has settled down.
All the best
Anne

Could it be due to the medication prescribed- steroid drops? as informed on this thread by the inspirational Lea:-

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13770&p=69189#p69189

the reason being that all the steriods for the past nearly 4 years have resulted in weakening muscles of my eye lid causing distruption to it and
droopyness

My eyelid also droops since my graft. Before I had my graft I specifically asked if there were any negative side effects with the OP. The response was negative.

I suspect Lea is correct but I will ask the question at my next consultation.

Although steroids can cause some muscle weakening I highly doubt this is what happened to me as my eyelid has been like this since I woke up from the operation- from internet research I think the condition is called ptosis? Apparently people who wear contacts for a number of years can develop it from the repeated stretching of their eyelid getting contacts in and out e.c.t but it's most common in older people as your muscles weaken as you get older. I found this- http://www.eyeworld.org/article-post-surgical it's mainly about cataracts but it does mention cornea grafts. I think I'm just going to have to make my surgeon talk next time I see him instead of the usual shrug of the shoulders! haha

Good luck Laura with your surgeon and let us know the feedback.

I asked my GP about the steroids and he confirmed that the negative effect is to weaken muscles when taken internally but was not sure of effect if applied by drops in the eye.

Hi,

My graft is about 3 years old now and I too have a bit of a droopy eyelid since the surgery.
I thought unit all that this was due to post op swelling but after all this time I guess probably
not. I have noticed that some says the drooping appears worse than others. I am currently only
on steroid drops every 3-4 days so again I feel that this is probably not the main cause.
I thought that it was just something that I would have to live with but now that I realise that this
appears a fairly common problem, I shall ask my consultant at my next appointment latter this
month.

I shall let you all know how I get on.

Regards.

Paul

Hi,
Just an update- went to see my consultant today and he said that he'd refer me to oculoplastics after all my stitches have been removed at about 18 months post graft, very glad to hear that he has a plan!
Laura

Thanks for letting us know. All the best.

Hi folks,

I attended my routine follow up appointment on Tuesday. I spoke to my consultant about my ptosis. As a result of our conversation I have been referred to the oculoplastics team to get my eyelid fixed.
I shall let you know how I get on as and when.

Warmest regards.

Paul

All the best, Paul.