UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello friends

I recently visited the Contact Lens Practice in Birmingham to get some new lenses and they are recommending the Zenlens. My KC is quite advanced so I cannot wear glasses or soft lenses. Just wanted to ask if anyone knows anything about these lenses and roughly how much they are? This practice has quoted me £700 up front and then £70 odd a month to cover solution and appointment/fees plus new lenses etc. The hospital discharged me a few months ago and told me to get lenses from an optician so they were not much help!

Thanks

I don't know anything about the Zen lens apart from the fact that it is a specialist mini-scleral designed for keratoconus.

I'm not surprised by the cost you have been quoted. There are cheaper lenses for Keratoconus but some of the newer specialist lenses are very expensive so these kind of prices are not unheard of. Many of the different types of specialist lenses for keratoconus are expensive because they are made individually and manufacturers also need to recover their design costs in the price. In addition to the cost of the lens itself there is also the cost of chair time which will be built in to the pricing structure. Specialist lenses for keratoconus are typically prescribed by optometrists who specialise in difficult cases. These practices carry a range of lenses and as the opticians are highly experienced in dealing with difficult cases they are more likely to find a lens to optimise your vision than a High Street optician who only has a limited range of lenses.

What I am surprised about is that the hospital discharged you and didn't refer you to their contact lens department or to an optician who prescribes lenses on their behalf. Hospital contact lens departments prescribe lenses for people who cannot achieve normal vision with glasses but can with contact lenses.

Lia

Hi Lia

Thanks so much for your very useful reply. After writing my message I spoke to a couple of people and you're spot on, because the lenses are so specialist, they cost what they do. I have been with the hospital for maybe 3 years. In that time, they have NOT managed to fit me with lenses that are appropriate. It was a matter of trial and error with various lenses. I am certain the contact lens optician I saw the other day at the practise knew a lot more about KC and lenses than the hospital did. During my time at the hospital, appointments were so far apart and each time I would go in, I would see someone new and explain everything from the beginning. I was getting quite frustrated as I have been WEARING THE SAME ICD LENSES FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS! Can't imagine how bad that is for my eyes. So they dischared me a few months ago - I have no idea why. They said that my eyes are 'good' and I need to see a regular optician! Anyway, I am happy with the Contact Lens Practise and have ordered my lenses from them, hopefully they will help! The trial ZenLens I put in the other day were excellent vision wise. Uncomfortable but I imagine that's because I am not used to them.

Thanks