UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi all,

After much reading it seams Asthma may have a link to KC as might exma (which I never knew until I came to this forum)

My young fella (6 yo) has suffered from both, although he only really suffers from asthma now.

He also rubs his eyes A LOT, and bloody hard.

When I catch him rubbing his eyes, I stop him and I've got the missus to do the same. If I catch him at it for a second time, I like to sit him down and (try) to put wetting drops in both his eyes (I checked with the opto and chemist first) and this seams to stop it all for quite a while. His eyes even look better.

The only problem I'm having is getting him to accept me putting the drops in.

I show him that I do it, I've even tried explaining that he MIGHT end up like dad (not tryin to scare him, just telling him the facts) but he still fights all the way.

Do you think I'm doing the right thing cause I want my boy to have the best chance at not getting KC as possible (I know nothing will stop it happening if it's guna, but every chance is a chance)

Any other suggestions will be great.

Damien

Probably not the best source of KC or Daddy advice myself but it seems you're trying to do the right thing for a very good reason. My son is just 2 and its difficult to get him understand the reasons for most things! I guess the main thing is to keep working at it. After all his not going to develop KC overnight(hopefully) so you've got time to get the proper eye care routines in place before it gets critical. That way he won't get a complex about it either.

Damian,

I think only a third of people with KC report having asthma and exzema and a link has never been proven.

My brother has exzema and asthema but never shown signs of KC, my Dad is the same and has never shown signs of KC.

Eye rubbing ahs never been proven, noone on my side of the familly rubs their eyes and I never did that much but have KC. My wife and the inlawas are always rubbing eyes and none of them have KC.

It could well be your youngen sees Daddy using eye drops and knows you have a problem. Then to him having drops in may well make him feel he has a problem when there is none. Even though you are trying to help, it is very hard for him to seperate the two.

Wetting drops may not help, all you are doing is treating the symptom and not the cause. For me wetting drops are useless, I need lubricating drops which work differently.

It may be better having the youngen seen more closely by a specialist to see if there is a cause and treating that may well be more beneficial.

Being a parent I know how hard it is. I know when my daughter was having problems copying from the white board, I instantly thought she was either dyslexic like me or the first sign of eye trouble like me. In the end all it was, was glare from the board at the end of the day and the colour of the pens made it harder. Now she sits a couple of seats further along, but the same distance from the board and all is well now.

I hope you manage to get the eye rubbing under control.

Hi,
I have three children and i find bribery and corruption works the best
I think i would try to teach him to put the drops in himself and then reward him for his grown up behaviour.
Maybe you should see your doctor to get some drops to use on a daily basis,so that you can use them before the itching starts.

To be honest i have rubbed my eyes since a child and my parents used to tell me to stop. I still rub my eyes now and my husband tells me to stop! But sometimes i just have to rub!

Try not to worry to much.

All the best
Anne

About eye rubbing. Maybe it would be a good idea to ask why he is rubbing his eyes.

If they are itchy, he may find some artificial tears quite soothing. I have always thought that eye rubbing is a possible symptom of KC, and probably not the cause. Still it is best avoided, but eyes that beg to be rubbed still need some kind of balm. I use hypermelose, sometimes I use Carbomer gel and I know that others find systane quite soothing.

Andrew

Andrew,

I agree with you about eye rubbing being a symptom.
Although i have always had itchy eyes , they has got worse since having children/KC.
I have always put it down to tiredness and sleepness nights from having children but now i think it maybe because i have been KC.

Yup. I reckon that's probably so. But squirt in an eye lubricant that agrees with you and ... bliss. Following some good advice from Louise, I now keep mine in the fridge. There is no occular pleasure so exquisite as dropping chilled artificial tears into itchy eyes. Not even a good old fashioned knuckle bending eye rub can compare.

I think i need to try some different drops.
I use FML and opatnol but my eyes still itch.
I tried Hypromellose (from the fridge) but they seemed to itch more.
I always end up rubbing.

Hi all,

Thanks for the responces, much to think about but I think I'm on the right path (I've gota try things cause like all parents we want the best for our boys)

Gareth, it's good to see that I'm not the only one that suffers KC and is a member of the DNA.
When I mention to people that I have KC they say "what the", but when I mention that I am dyslexic they just accept it and don't get me to read form the board/slide show.
Funny how some things are well known and others arn't.

Re the eye rubbing, he says that they are dry and itchy. Same symtoms as I get from time to time, so yes it has me concerned (not worried as much) that he may develop KC in the future so I want to start good eye keeping now.

Thanks for the suggestion re teaching him to put eye drops in Anne, I'd never have thought of that at this young age, but I guess there is no time like the present.

Thanks again everyone.

Damien

Anne

I am afraid that artificial tears, like everything else with KC, is a matter of trial and error.

Some people prefer drops with higher viscosity, some with lower. for some a particular drop may case mild irritation, while for others it may be a source of great relief.

The problem seems to be that there is no standard pH for human tears!

Hope you manage to find something that works for you.

Andrew

(added later) I found this article: http://www.tedmontgomery.com/the_eye/cornea.html