Recommendation for optometrist?

[PMartin]

I am doing this on behalf of my wife who has had quite severe keratoconus for more than 20 years.

Can anyone recommend a good optometrist who practices in the north Surrey/south London area? My wife, who is under a consultant at St George's hospital in south London, had a really good optometrist who took an academic interest in the condition. He has just retired and we're desperately trying to find someone who really knows the subject.

Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance,
Phil

[Susan Mason]

Phil not sure that this is help just afew thoughts. Have you tried the 'How to contact us' section of the website (just under the icon for the discussion page). It gives a link of how to contact Anne Klepacz who may be able to supply some information via the KC group. Other than that as my geography of London is poor, the only hospital that seems to be mentioned in relation to KC a lot is Moorfields. I know that they have a website which is info@moorfields.org.uk and it has a section which I think is headed up other conditions which makes a general reference to KC and also another page which details 'Medical Social Work' and gives info re support and advice etc possibly they could help.
You don't mention what type of lenses (if any) your wife has or if she has had surgery at all, maybe if you post again adding some more info some more people will reply. It's a little frustrating I know when people read however no one replies, hence the reply although I realise it may not be of much help.
Susan

[PMartin]

Susan,

Thank you for your reply and for your suggestions. As you suggest I will give a few more details.
The unit at hospital that my wife attends is actually run by St.George's and Moorfields and her consultant, Chad Rostron, is excellent.
She wears gas-permeable lenses in both eyes
and although corneal transplants have been mooted for a number of years it seems that her condition has been stable for some time meaning that surgery has not been deemed necessary.....yet. It is though, always at the back of her mind that it will be an inevitable course of action one day.
Her request to me to find her a good optometrist is driven by that anxiety - so to get someone who really knows what they are doing is important so it requires someone with an in-depth knowledge of KC. I made contact with someone at the Royal College who ought to have been able to supply that kind of information, but sadly were unable to.
I hope that this extra info might help - what I am hoping for is for someone who lives in or around this area who is being treated by an optometrist who they feel very confident about.

Thanks, Phil

[Susan Mason]

Phil You mention Moorfiels in your last message. I understand that Ken Pullum is very interested in KC and has a lot of involvement with scleral lenses. If you read some of the articles on the KC website you will see that he has quite a lot of input. About 16 months ago when I was going through a bad patch he was mentioned to me and I sent him some emails to which he replied giving advice and comments. It wuld have been good to have been able to see him however distance was an issue. Since then I have found out that he runs training seminars for other optometrists to advise on the use of scleral lenses without which I would be in a bit of a state. Maybe if you contacted Moorfields you could arrange for your wife to see him?

Best of luck, PS if your wife has managed for 20 years she has my admiration I have only known I had KC since Dec 2000 and whilst initially nothing much happened for the first 18 months or so for the last 2 years it has more or less influenced everything I do. Currently I am awaiting a new lens as my left eye has decided to change shape and my current lens is starting to cause discomfort and scarring

[David Bennett]

Phil,

Other than Ken Pullum (excellent guy)in North London...well Hertforshire exactly, you may like to try Joanne Boyd at "Horrocks and Boyd" in Kingston. Very professional and knowlegeable in the c/l world and well respected.

Best wishes

David Bennett (optometrist)

[John Smith]

Just to correct Susan's post slightly:

Moorfield's web site is at http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk