Recently diagnosed
Posted: Wed 21 Jan 2015 12:59 pm
Hi,
For the last 3 years or so I have been suffering with what I call triple vision with my eyes, I work in the IT industry as a techie so I ignored it at first thinking that I was probably just suffering from eye strain. However, in the last year or so I noticed my eyes getting worse, my eyes seem to have mild distortion most of the time but when working on my laptop for 10 minutes or more my vision would become heavily distorted and the only way to alleviate the symptoms would be to squint (which then leads to brow headaches). I also found that watching TV, reading books and night driving also brought on severe symptoms.
So after a several trips to the opticians and several referrals I finally met with an lens specialist. This consultant ran a slit lamp test in both my eyes and confirmed (very bluntly and matter of factly) that firstly, I had a small cateract in my left eye (I'm 38)! but he then went on to say that this was not the main reason for my symptoms, he showed me a 3D image of my eyes and said I had a condition called Keratoconus and that it was in the advanced stages to the point where glasses/lenses will not help me.
The only words I heard after that were, no cure, corneal transplant required for both eyes,12 month recovery post surgery and no driving in the meantime! To be honest the consultant I saw had no empathy and seemed to be in a hurry to get home as I was the last person on the clinic list that day. I had no time to acknowledge the diagnosis let alone ask any questions. He gave me some eye drops to help with the symptoms (same drops they give Glaucoma sufferers) and told me he would arrange another appointment to see him in a few months and that he would also arrange a consultation with a cornea specialist to discuss transplant options.
Since this bombshell I have started on the eye drops and they don't seem to have helped, in fact my eyes are more blurry than before! Although I am relieved to have had a diagnosis I do feel let down by the consultant's lack of compassion and interest in my diagnosis. I feel I don't know who to turn to regarding the eye drops not helping, if I go to my GP she will just refer me back to the consultant who has a 2 months waiting list. Needless to say I am feeling all a bit lost at the moment.
For the last 3 years or so I have been suffering with what I call triple vision with my eyes, I work in the IT industry as a techie so I ignored it at first thinking that I was probably just suffering from eye strain. However, in the last year or so I noticed my eyes getting worse, my eyes seem to have mild distortion most of the time but when working on my laptop for 10 minutes or more my vision would become heavily distorted and the only way to alleviate the symptoms would be to squint (which then leads to brow headaches). I also found that watching TV, reading books and night driving also brought on severe symptoms.
So after a several trips to the opticians and several referrals I finally met with an lens specialist. This consultant ran a slit lamp test in both my eyes and confirmed (very bluntly and matter of factly) that firstly, I had a small cateract in my left eye (I'm 38)! but he then went on to say that this was not the main reason for my symptoms, he showed me a 3D image of my eyes and said I had a condition called Keratoconus and that it was in the advanced stages to the point where glasses/lenses will not help me.
The only words I heard after that were, no cure, corneal transplant required for both eyes,12 month recovery post surgery and no driving in the meantime! To be honest the consultant I saw had no empathy and seemed to be in a hurry to get home as I was the last person on the clinic list that day. I had no time to acknowledge the diagnosis let alone ask any questions. He gave me some eye drops to help with the symptoms (same drops they give Glaucoma sufferers) and told me he would arrange another appointment to see him in a few months and that he would also arrange a consultation with a cornea specialist to discuss transplant options.
Since this bombshell I have started on the eye drops and they don't seem to have helped, in fact my eyes are more blurry than before! Although I am relieved to have had a diagnosis I do feel let down by the consultant's lack of compassion and interest in my diagnosis. I feel I don't know who to turn to regarding the eye drops not helping, if I go to my GP she will just refer me back to the consultant who has a 2 months waiting list. Needless to say I am feeling all a bit lost at the moment.