UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Well i finally got my lenses today, some people will remember i had a Hospital appointent back in May well today i go my lenses. Took a while which was partly my fauly, however this optcian i went to was great! He put lenses in my eye as soon as i went in, which was amazing i always thought they had to be ordered however he has a lens bank. Anyway i didnt leave with lenses that day because he didn't have enough in the lens bank but today i have them. They are great, i hate them to be honest but i hate all lenses i dont like things in my eye. But really they are great i can hardly feel them at all, and i was able to get to line 4 on the snellen chart which without them i was only achieving line 1 which was only 2 leters X and O. My vision isn't 100% yet because they need to settle down but gaining an extra 3 lines instantly is great. I didn't realise how poor my vision was until i have been wearing these. And im so glad they are on the NHS because at £340 per set its more than i could have paid.

That's great so good to hear about you getting your lenses. I have about the same eyesight as you by the sounds of it; I can just read the two letters one line down and the big X is still fuzzy. Getting those extra lines must be great. I too am waiting for a fitting, can't wait. What's the story with paying? Are they free via an NHS hospital or is it means tested? I am with Gartnaval NHS.

Great that you're finally fixed up Jayboi!
Matt - lenses are only free to those under 19 in full time education. Otherwise it's around £48 per lens at the NHS rate which covers any changes in prescription for 12 months, so still a lot cheaper than the commercial price. And anyone on a low income eg on benefits may be entitled to extra help.
Anne

J-B

Well done! About time too, if you'll allow me to say so. How long is it since all this began?

Evert good wish.

Andrew

January it all started, however i havent been able to wear lenses for the best part of 2 years because my eyes just couldnt stand them. Specsavers told me it was because i wasnt used to lenses, however the specialist KC optician told me that it was more than likley because the lenses just didnt fit my eye. So it is no suprise that i couldnt keep them in. He also told me to chuck all their solution i have left as it was not very good, he said i should use Unique PH. He said that is best because it instantly adjusts its PH levels to the PH in your tears therefour doesnt cause any sting or anything. I have to say it isnt like any solution i have had before, you dont even know it is on the lenses thats how good the PH change is.

Well done! I know that the wait was, at times, quite frustrating for you. Patience and perseverence did deliver results!

Yours aye

Andrew

Jayboi,

Your specialist has either got Unique pH's ability wrong or just explained it badly.

No solution can change its pH to match another as such. Mix an acid with an alkali and in the right mix will neutralise each other. In the wrong mix they will change slightly or not at all, these are buffers.

Caustic Soda in many cleaners is a good buffer and has a high pH, add loads of vinega (acid) it will fizz but the pH will not change due to the buffer ability of the caustic soda. Then the pH will change dramatically as the caustic can no longer buffer the acid.

Unique pH is a good buffer and is approximatly that of tears so will not change much.

So is it good stuff? or should i use something else?

Jay,

If it is doing the job for you then it is good stuff.

All I was doing was pointing out the mode of action as explained to you was slightly off.

Never tried the stuff as my solutions work well so no need to fix what aint broke.

I have never taken the recomendations of an optom as gospel, probably because I am a researcher and question everything.

All of us with KC fins something that works and stick with it and use these forums to share those experiences.

If the solutions you are using seem to give you a benefit over what you have used before, here is the place to share it.