How long have contact lenses been used to treat Keratoconus?

[N Newton]

I've been wearing contact lenses now for 20 years or so after being diagnosed with KC in both eyes in 1985 or 1986, I forget which, albeit not entirely problem free at times! I was discussing my condition with the doctor at my employer's occupational health a few days ago which led to us both to wonder when contact lenses were first used to treat KC and for how many years people with KC are typically able to wear them.

[GarethB]

Hi Neil,

Welcome to the forum.

I am certain contact lenses were in use about 10 years you adn I were diagnosed.

As for how long can you wera them for, well my understanding is you wear them to 'treat' KC for as long as is necessary.

Within the group I have met poeple with KC who are in their sixties and been wearing lenses far longer than you and I, exactly how many years I have never asked.

To put things into some perspective the medics quote that only 10% of KC sufferers ever need a graft. The rest achieve excellent levels of vision with either glasses or contact lenses sometimes a mixture of the two.

Hope this is of some help.

[Alison Fisher]

I've often thought how lucky I am to be born when I was and not a generation or two earlier when from what I can figure out I would have been in a right mess.

[Mike Oliver]

I was given my first scleral lens in 1964 and I believe they were around well before that. There are still one or two people around who were fitted with glass (ouch) contact lens for KC!
Mike Oliver

[James Colclough]

While drinking sorry studying in Swansea back in 1984, rgps for 22 years now.

Hands up or hats off to the glass contact lens wearers.

I thought scleral lens people were brave.

Ouch Ouch

[davidjames]

Hello All
I had my first fittting of what were called haptic lenses.which looked like scherals in 1965
these were fitted by a team in Manchester Street, which is near Harley Street
Wearing times were the big problem and also air to the cornea. this was before holes were added, these holes were called fenistrations, were very tiny and could get blocked
Also the only wetting solutions was something called K lens, but I was not given a cleaner. These were not sucessfull
I went from there to Moorfields in 1969 and had My first set of haptics with fenistations. The process involve a minor op under local to get a cast of the eye and then a process of fitting and grinding. i had these lenses untill 1972 when I had my left eye grafted
I think the modern Schelals are fantastic.
I started with haptics
Then small lenes which would not stay on the graft
Soft perm and back to large lenses
I still don't know when Miraflow is back
But with all things I am copping with an alternative
Regards to all