UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Its' been ages since I posted, partly because my eldest is allowing me less and less time on his laptop but mostly because for the last few weeks nothing much has happened where David and his lenses were concerned. We had a few appointments at the Eye Hospital that left me feeling totally hopeless. Even with the anaesthetic David could not stand the lenses in his eyes. They were blood red, ran all of the time and I felt that he was wasting his time. I could not see the lenses ever working for David. However two weeks ago we saw a new optometrist, yes another one. She decided to put the lenses in for David without the anaesthetic. It took her seconds where it had been taken the other optoms ages. For the first time we had no blood red eyes and within a short while his eyes stopped running. This makes me wonder if the anaesthetic was actually causing his problems? Well today we went back so that this lovely lass could begin to teach David how to put the lenses, which are RGP lenses, into his eyes himself. I am speechless and elated because after being shown once David hit the spot first time with both eyes and managed to get the lenses out no problem too!!!!! YES I was wrong and I am elated. He did this three times in all and we were then sent home for him to build up his wearing time over the next four weeks until we return.

The only blot on the landscape is that David does not feel that the lenses have improved his sight in his right eye at all. In fact he says that it’s much better with his glasses. Is this usual? I can’t see the point in him wearing them if they do not improve his vision but then I know so little that I could be wrong. Hopefully someone here can shine a light for us.

Thanks

Carole

Fantastic news. However unsure about the not improving vision bit.

Way to go David!

I'm a bit perplexede about the vision being worse with lenses than specs. I am wondering what the optometrist will say about this?

Whatever the explanation, it is good to know that David has managed to leap the first hurdle!

Andrew

Really good news!

Putting lenses in with anaesthetic can mean you can heavy handed without knowing it and therefore cause the eye to become more irritated. Really good to see david is copin gaso well.

Now as to the vision issue... well this may just be an issue of fine tuning the power and/or fit. This is not unusual in KC fittings as opposed to fittigng"normal" eyes as the corneal shape is irregular. Once the lenses have settled down a lot more, they can concentrate on getting vision up. If they change it now, then as the lens settled down and the corneal shape changed under the lens, they would have to change it again quite quickly.

Oh and you may find as the eyes settle to the lenses that the vision in the glasses goes off, due to the cornea being a different shape. This is again not unusual so I am mentioning it now to stop you worrying if it happens

Lynn

Carole,

Excellent news about David, he sounds a gutsy kid and as I have said before kids like David are often the ones that give us the most surprises and pleasure.

Regarding lenses, my vision with lenses was far better than glasses but not as good as I hoped. However as the lens wear improved and the cornea adapted I now see the very bottom line of the eye chart.

12 months ago started having lens fit problems now resolved, but we tried several lenses that theoretically should have worked but did not. Lens fitting is as much an art as it is a science and having a lens fine tuned after the first lens fitting is not that uncommon.

My personal view is that most female lens fitters are gentler than the men and also due to the tone of voice help put the patient at ease more. I know the hospital I go to, there is one lady that pretty much deals with most of the kids and they are much calmer with her than some of the blokes.

Wishing David and yourself all the best.

Gareth

Great stuff!

When i first gotmy RGP's from SS they made no difference what so every to my eyes i was always saying that they made my vision worse! SS told me that this was normal to begin with.

However after moving to an optician that specialises in KC patients i have realised what lenses can really do!

Thanks everyone. I will feed your replies back to David to reassure him that the sight may improve with use. I had already said to him that for the moment it might be a good idea just to get used to wearing them. We go back on July 7th so he may have a clearer picture by then sorry for the pun. I am still trying to persuade him to join this forum himself - one day hopefully

Carole

Its really good to hear that things are going well for David.
How old is David?
It would be nice to hear from him
Please say well done to David from Me ( and well done to you.)

Anne

Great news it can take a while to find the right lens and even then it sometimes has a habit of changing!

Am wishing him all the best though and tell him to build up the time slowly and he will get there!

Sweet X x X

David is 19 and as well as KC has autism. He is telling me that the lens has cleared a great deal in his right eye - but that the lens in his left is giving him some grief. He did tell the Optom that the left lens did not feel right but she asked him to stick with it. He says that the left eye is very blurred - which is bad news as his left is is pretty OK at the moment as the KC has only just started in the left eye. But one step at a time and he already looks like a pro putting in and taking out his lenses.

HUGE sigh of relief and I am soooooooo proud of him.

Carole