UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi,
i'm 32 and had a baby in March. I have always had problems with tolerance with my lenses but since June have not been able to wear my right lens for more than 20min. All the hosp said was leave it out for a couple of weeks which usually solves the problem however its been 6 weeks with no improvement. Could it be anything to do with my hormones etc or has my eye finally said enough is enough

Thanks

Fed up housebound mum of one!!

Hi Lesley,

Welcome to the forum.

From some of the other ladies here who have been diagnosed with KC after child birth, it would appear from their comments that pregnancy itself can cause a change in KC. It might be a case of having a new lens fitted.

However, yes it is possible your eye has cried enough and the timing with child birth could just be coincidence.

From my personal experience, when I became lens intolerant is was due to poor tear production. I never fely I had dry eyes, but the corneal surface was dry enough for the lens to cause irritation. After experimenting with lubricating eye drops which require the lens to be removed, but it can be put straight back once the drops are in, I found Systane by Alcon did the trick.

Initially I had to use the drops every couple of hours, but after a month I could back off and only use them morning and night. I have found ensuring my body is well hydrated by drinkingat least 2 litres of watre in addition to any other drinks has helped loads too.

When you next ask the optom about lens fit, also ask about the quality of the tears you eye is producing.

Hope this helps some.

Regards

Gareth

Lesley

Did you get sorted with a new lens. I was pregnant but unfortunately lost the baby and now have got sorted with another lens. I am going to have an assessment at the East Grinstead eye hospital to see if I would be suitable for Intacs or CR3. Think intacs might be out as the pregnancy changed things so seems eyes are still changing

Hope you are ok now and the baby is growing well

Lynne

Hi Lesley

The exact same thing happened to me during and immediately after my last pregnancy. My KC changed more in those months than at any other time, resulting in me having my first graft when my youngest was six months old.

There are a lot more choices and possiblities with lenses now than there were back then so hopefully your hospital will be able to find something that works for you. Fingers crossed it will just a case of changing the fitting of your lens.

Hello there,
Sounds as if you're having a rotten time. Don't give up, though.
It could just be that you need to try a lens made form a different material.
I became intolerant of my fab Aquasil lens after 4 months of good wear. It was the best one I'd had so far.
Then I found, like you, that I couldn't wear it for more than 20 minutes at a time, developed serious problems with dryness which resulted in a bare patch on the cornea, 14 visits to the eye clinic withing 12 months...before the consultant said "Consider a graft".
When I returned he said "No graft. There are a couple of lens materials left to try. Let's do that first".
At the moment I have a PMMA hard lens which I can tolerate for 6-8 hours. I don't want to wear it more than 6 hours because it doesn't allow the cornea to breathe. I'm considering it a stop-gap until I can try a Rose K or other type.
Go back. Ask to see your consultant and suggest that you try Rose K, sclerals or even the PMMA.

Meanwhile, don't wear the lens at all if it's awful. Have you got Celluvisc drops on prescription? I found that they really helped when I had severe dry eye problems.

All the best.

Lesley

Welcome, and congratulations on your new arrival.

don't panic about the lenses. It may be that your "fit" just changed with all the variation in your IOP during yout pregnancy and delivery.

It may also be that you now need a different type of lens. There are several.

All the best

Andrew

Thanks all for your advice, sorry this reply is so late but with baby etc never quite get a chance to do all the things i'd like! Thankfully the problems i have been having settled down after i was fitted with a new lens. Apparently my vision deteriorated quite rapidly during pregnancy so lens was an 'appauling fit' according to optomotrist

Thanks again and merry christmas to you all