UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi

Can anybody advise me on where to purchase keratoconus lenses from

I had no luck from my opticians and feel like they do not treat me properly, and it takes about 6 months to have a hospital appointment and feel like I get fobbed off

I have the prescription so I know what specifications I require

I am interested in Scleral lenses or if anyone knows that monthly lenses could be purchased

Currently I am using ultrahealth lenses which only last about 6 months but was told they last a year

Its starting to become very expensive for me and I don't think I should be paying for them as they don't last, and don't feel comfortable using the same lenses for that amount of time as I keep on getting reoccurring eye infections

If anybody can help that would be great

Thanks

Hi Hass,

Welcome to the forum.

Has wrote:Can anybody advise me on where to purchase keratoconus lenses from, I had no luck from my opticians

Do you normally get your lenses from the optician, or from a hospital? If you are getting your lenses through a hospital eye department and only go to your local optician for an eye test it is quite likely that they do not stock the specialist lenses.

Contact lenses for keratoconus tend to be specialist lenses and they aren't found for purchase on line. Most people either get their lenses from an optometrist specialising in complex prescriptions or from a hospital contact lens department. Some people with mild keratoconus can manage with glasses or contact lenses from a standard range.

Has wrote:I have the prescription so I know what specifications I require

Although you have a prescription for your lenses this would only be for the Ultrahealth lenses and I doubt it would read across to other hybrid lenses, and it would not read across to scleral lenses or monthly lenses.

Has wrote:I am using Ultrahealth lenses which only last about 6 months but was told they last a year

Lenses last for varying amounts of time, depending on lots of things, such as whether your eye changes, the design of the lenses, how you look after it and whether or not your eye produces deposits which cause the lens to deteriorate. I don't know anything about the Ultrahealth lens but other hybrids are only designed to last six months.

Has wrote: I keep on getting reoccurring eye infections

Do you know why you are getting so many eye infections? It may be worth asking a health professional this question. If you think the lenses are causing the problem it may be worth checking how you should be cleaning them. It really is important to follow the instructions to the letter.

Lia

Hi Lia

Thank you for replying

I usually get my lenses from the specsavers and the hospital don't do them, can you recommend me any opticians in Peterborough that I can go to?

My eye seems to be stable as they haven't changed my prescription in a while

I think the reason for me getting so many eye infections is due to the my allergies and feel like I am allergic to the lenses, I have also been diagnosed with giant pappilary conjunctivitis in my left eye

I haven't been wearing my right lens due to it being very uncomfortable and only be able to wear it for an hour, the person that had fit it has said to me that it is a perfect fit even though I have complained about it and she said that it is my allergies but I have been to another optician at a different Specsavers and he has said the fitting is very tight and gave my theo gel drops and heat eye pack to wear in the morning

I have been paying for the right lens over and over again and not wearing them and mentioned it multiple times that it is not comfortable and they blamed my allergies and now I'm told the fitting is very tight, do you think I can get some sort of compensation or maybe even a refund?

I used optane cleaner everyday as recommended but I 100 percent feel like the lenses just about last 6 months
I don't think this is very good as each lens costs 200 pounds and 400 just for the pair, I do go to the hospital but have to wait a very long time sometimes longer than 6 months just for a piece of paper which gives me a discount voucher and it reduces the cost for the pair to 114 pounds approximately and it takes 2-4weeks just to make the lenses as they come from America so waiting time is not great either

Aslo I mentioned it to them what happens if I lose the contact lenses or it becomes damaged? This has happened before and they didn't even give me a answer so I'm screwed as I am blind without them can't work or drive, any ideas what could be a great backup? I have pinhole glasses but they are a pain and just about watch TV with them and unable to work with them, I don't drive in them and would never do that if any questions me on that one lol

Thanks

Hi Has,

Has wrote:can you recommend me any opticians in Peterborough that I can go to?

There is a list of KC friendly opticians on the Keratoconus Group site website the list can be found here:
https://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk/optoms/

Has wrote:I think the reason for me getting so many eye infections is due to the my allergies and feel like I am allergic to the lenses,

It is possible that you could be allergic to the solutions you use to clean your lenses or the materials they are made from. It would be worth asking whether you could try different solutions or lenses made from a different material.

Has wrote:I haven't been wearing my right lens due to it being very uncomfortable and only be able to wear it for an hour, the person that had fit it has said to me that it is a perfect fit

Has wrote: he has said the fitting is very tight and gave my theo gel drops and heat eye pack to wear in the morning

Conflicting views on the fit of a lens I don't believe are unusual. Perfect fits are probably only possible with normal eyes, for keratoconic corneas what opticians are aiming for is the best overall compromise. This is for a lens to be comfortable, give good wearing time, not compromise the health of the eye and optimise the vision.

Has wrote: it reduces the cost for the pair to 114 pounds

Yes this the NHS voucher price of £57 per lens and you would be charged every six months if that's how often the lens needs to be replaced.

Has wrote:I am blind without them can't work or drive, any ideas what could be a great backup?

Has wrote:Aslo I mentioned it to them what happens if I lose the contact lenses or it becomes damaged?

In case of loss or damage it is always worth having a spare pair, especially if it takes a couple of weeks to order a new one. I always keep my previous pairs of lenses as a spare pair and always carry them with me, just in case, I lose one.

Another thing that is worth doing for back up is finding out what vision you can get from glasses. I for years understood that glasses would be of no use to me. In fact they are of some use but only around the house. I wear them first thing in the morning and last thing at night. It allows me recognise someone across the room, or watch TV. I can't read very well or use the computer easily with them as the ghosting means that I would misread too much, but my glasses do allow me to function when I can't wear my lenses.


Lia