Ectatic cornea

[CARMELTHOMPSON]

I'm having right corneal regraft soon, but the surgeon has said that the surgery will be challenging, with a guarded prognosis, because of the extent of ectasia, which I believe means thinning of the cornea. I also have quite pronounced astigmatism. I've read that an otherwise clear graft might not improve visual acuity because of the level of astigmatism, so I might still need the dreaded scleral lenses. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm a bit concerned as to what is meant by "challenging!"

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Carmel,
When we had our original grafts, all those decades ago, surgeons didn't really go into the risks or side effects of any procedure. And although it's great that we're given more information these days, it can be a bit unnerving. My regraft surgeon told me just before I went down to theatre that the regraft would be difficult/challenging (I can't remember the exact word she used) because there was thinning round the edges of the old, failed graft. In the event, she did a superb job, using a larger corneal button than the original graft. I think it used to be something like 60% of people with grafts still needed correction with lenses or glasses afterwards, though that may have changed with improved techniques. My regraft did give me much improved visual acuity - I do hope it'll prove the same for you.

[CARMELTHOMPSON]

Hi Anne,
Thanks for your reply, and encouraging words. At the moment, any improvement in vision would be a help! I think I have a very good surgeon, had the pre op assessment today and I'm sure he'll do his best, they can't really say everything will be fine, and there will be 20/20 vision, just in case things don't turn out so well, and they have to explain the risks. Techniques have certainly moved on, when I had my first one, I was in hospital for a couple of weeks and off work for months, now it's in and out in a day and back to work in about a month...got to love the NHS!