Contact Lenses after hydrops

[Heyssharon]

Hi, I posted a little while ago after a hydrops in my left eye. I am now 3 months after the hydrops and a little confused. I have tried a gp lens in the eye and my vision is actually better. My contact lens practitioner is not clear how to proceed. I’m not sure how likely it is that a new lens would be required or what the risks are if I carry on using the old lens. Any advice or experience you have would be great as I don’t want to do anything that could be a risk.

[Lia Williams]

Hi Sharon,

Sometimes vision can improve after hydrops.

On the main part of the website there is this description of hydrops which you might find helpful:

https://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk/in ... ratoconus/

I am surprised to read that your contact lens practitioner is not clear how to proceed. Have you seen them? or have you only had advice over the phone? It would certainly be worth having the fit and the power of the lens checked.

Lia

[Heyssharon]

Hi, I think he’s worried that any abrasion caused by the lens could cause further hydrops. I’m not sure if this is a risk or it’s just that he’s not seen many cases like mine before but I do have an area of scaring on my eye at the peak of my kerataconus.

[gsward]

Hi Sharon,

Sounds like you are on to the next stage after your hydrops. I'm not a practitioner, but I have had one and talked to a couple of senior people at the hospital where I attend. After hydrops, as I think has been mentioned before, apart from any scarring (which is on the rear of the cornea not the front) you may benefit simply because the tension that was in your cornea previously is now relieved. That means though that the shape will have changed. Usually, it gets flatter. So it would be surprising if your previous lens fitted well, but it's not clear if that is what you are telling us or you have been fitted with a new lens? Most of us know if a lens is not feeling a good fit. Good news though that your vision is better overall.

I was told to wait 5-6 months before having a new lens fitted, but some can settle sooner. others may be longer.

There are other lens options too, like sclerals, that might get you even better vision without needing to do anything more to the eye.

I suspect you are not being seen at an eye hospital or at least a hospital with an eye unit as they would have seen lots of hydrops. In that case, get yourself referred. Your GP can do this if your optometrist cannot. OK, there may be a wait, and a bit longer at the moment, but time is probably on your side, although I guess you want to get to the best place visually as soon as you can.

Graham

[Heyssharon]

Hi Thank you so much for the replies. It’s great to hear from others who experienced this condition first hand. I am with my optician rather than eye clinic in the hospital, as the hospital registrar just put me on a waiting list for a graft rather than wait for things to settle down. I got a second opinion at Moorfields which was much more balanced but they aren’t seeing patients at the moment due to lockdown. At the moment I am managing with one gp lens in my right eye but I’m reluctant to wear my old lens in my left eye for any length of time, just because I’ve not had any clear advice. The fit seems perfectly fine but I am just worried that by wearing the lens I could cause another hydrops.

[Lia Williams]

Hi Sharon,

The fit seems perfectly fine but I am just worried that by wearing the lens I could cause another hydrops.

Have you had the fit of this lens checked? As Graham has said in his response the shape of the cornea may have changed due to the hydrops. Like Graham I'm not a practitioner, but I've not heard of lenses causing hydrops. But a badly fitted lens can cause scarring.

One of the strange things with KC is that just because a lens is comfortable doesn't mean it is a healthy fit. Conversely just because a lens looks to be a good healthy fit doesn't mean that the patient finds it comfortable! I have been told not to wear lenses I've found comfortable, and I've asked them to refit lenses which are "a perfect fit" but I have found intolerable.


Lia