Help! Corneal Intacs Rings?
Posted: Tue 06 Feb 2007 10:10 pm
Hi everyone.
First of all I’d like to say what a fantastic site this is. It’s a good and reliable point of reference for KC and it’s nice to know there is a place where everyone can relate to concerning KC.
I’d like to ask for your opinions in order to help me make up my mind on an offer of a new procedure that my consultant is prepared to carry out in order to improve my vision in my left eye (no KC onset in my right eye yet). I’ll give you the background on the attempts to try and treat my KC first. I’ve gone on a bit so please bear with me!
I am 26 years old. I use a computer all day at work and am getting very tired and have regular mild headaches due to the problem with my left eye. I have been attending the eye clinic at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham for the past 2 years. I have been fitted with 6 to 7 different types of RGPs made out of all sorts of materials. After 1 to 2 hours of wear time every lens I have tried resulted a in dry, sore, and very red eye. I was very careful and thorough with disinfecting and always followed the solution instructions and medical advise.
Each time a new lens was ordered I would get very excited at the prospect of better comfort/sight and the ability to wear an RGP for more than just 1 or 2 hours. Alas, when each new lens arrived and was inserted the same scenario occurred; redness, soreness, dryness etc. As you can imagine this became very frustrating and my consultant and I have admitted defeat with RGPs.
Upon visiting the clinic for a check up on my last lens before calling it a day on RGPs the optometrist mentioned a procedure involving Corneal Intacs Rings. If you have not heard of this the procedure corneal rings are tiny semi-circular c shaped bits of plastic made from similar materials that RGPs are made out. They are inserted into c shaped channels cut into the inside your cornea. There is a large amount of information on the net if you would like to read more about corneal rings.
The optometrist that informed me of the rings referred me to a corneal specialist. I saw him yesterday and will comment on my consultation with him later.
So, after hearing about the rings I returned home and got on the Internet to read all about these rings. I was very interested and excited because the rings are inserted beneath the nerve endings so you can’t feel them. They are designed to reshape corneas into their intended undamaged natural shape because they are rigid (however I expect there is a degree of flexibility). Research and test results are promising and encouraging. In 58 Keratoconus eyes implanted with Intacs almost half achieved 20/40 uncorrected vision. It is reported that some receive 20/20. There is a 95% success rate (eye sight improved). If there are problems with the rings they can be removed and the cornea heals and vision returns to how it was before surgery. However, as with all surgery there are risks. One of the most obvious is infection.
Anyway, my appointment with the consultant corneal specialist arrived and although the clinic didn’t yet do the procedure, after examining the thickness and condition of my cornea he said he was prepared to do it. The only snag was he had never done it before, but did assure me he fully understood the procedure and had been trained. He has 10 years of corneal surgery experience but I was still very wary and if I think if I decide to go ahead with the operation this will most likely prompt me to seek another hospital that is already practicing!
Near the end of the procedure I was told something that killed all hope and excitement that had built up inside me between my previous visit and the corneal rings consultation that was taking place. The consultant said, even if I had rings inserted I would still need to wear an RGP. This was very disheartening because of the fun and games I have had over the past 2 years with trying to successfully fit a RGP! When asking why an RGP would be required in addition to the rings he told me that all the rings do is put the cornea into a better shape to receive an RGP, hence making wearing an RGP more comfortable. In theory I can see where he was coming from but in practice if the many optometrists and consultants could not diagnose why I was getting a red, sore and dry eye without the rings when wearing an RGP why did he think the bad reaction to an RGP would be less with the presence of the rings? This makes no sense to me. Surely to cure you need to diagnose!!! I thought that was basic medicine???
So, what I’d really appreciate from anyone reading this is for you to tell me if you agree with me…would having rings inserted mean I also need to use an RGP to gain better sight? Or, taking into consideration the purpose of rings, which is to reshape the cornea, would you say there is no need for an RGP? I suppose I could have the procedure done and see how I get on without an RGP. I could always add an RGP at a later date if required. If all fails I simply (I perhaps shouldn’t use that word) have the rings removed.
I know I should trust what the consultant told me more than I currently do but this is my eye sight we are talking about here and if something goes (although I’m told it is a fully reversible procedure) there may be no going back!
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and will discuss all thoughts with the consultant before making any final decisions.
Thank you all very much!
James.
First of all I’d like to say what a fantastic site this is. It’s a good and reliable point of reference for KC and it’s nice to know there is a place where everyone can relate to concerning KC.
I’d like to ask for your opinions in order to help me make up my mind on an offer of a new procedure that my consultant is prepared to carry out in order to improve my vision in my left eye (no KC onset in my right eye yet). I’ll give you the background on the attempts to try and treat my KC first. I’ve gone on a bit so please bear with me!
I am 26 years old. I use a computer all day at work and am getting very tired and have regular mild headaches due to the problem with my left eye. I have been attending the eye clinic at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham for the past 2 years. I have been fitted with 6 to 7 different types of RGPs made out of all sorts of materials. After 1 to 2 hours of wear time every lens I have tried resulted a in dry, sore, and very red eye. I was very careful and thorough with disinfecting and always followed the solution instructions and medical advise.
Each time a new lens was ordered I would get very excited at the prospect of better comfort/sight and the ability to wear an RGP for more than just 1 or 2 hours. Alas, when each new lens arrived and was inserted the same scenario occurred; redness, soreness, dryness etc. As you can imagine this became very frustrating and my consultant and I have admitted defeat with RGPs.
Upon visiting the clinic for a check up on my last lens before calling it a day on RGPs the optometrist mentioned a procedure involving Corneal Intacs Rings. If you have not heard of this the procedure corneal rings are tiny semi-circular c shaped bits of plastic made from similar materials that RGPs are made out. They are inserted into c shaped channels cut into the inside your cornea. There is a large amount of information on the net if you would like to read more about corneal rings.
The optometrist that informed me of the rings referred me to a corneal specialist. I saw him yesterday and will comment on my consultation with him later.
So, after hearing about the rings I returned home and got on the Internet to read all about these rings. I was very interested and excited because the rings are inserted beneath the nerve endings so you can’t feel them. They are designed to reshape corneas into their intended undamaged natural shape because they are rigid (however I expect there is a degree of flexibility). Research and test results are promising and encouraging. In 58 Keratoconus eyes implanted with Intacs almost half achieved 20/40 uncorrected vision. It is reported that some receive 20/20. There is a 95% success rate (eye sight improved). If there are problems with the rings they can be removed and the cornea heals and vision returns to how it was before surgery. However, as with all surgery there are risks. One of the most obvious is infection.
Anyway, my appointment with the consultant corneal specialist arrived and although the clinic didn’t yet do the procedure, after examining the thickness and condition of my cornea he said he was prepared to do it. The only snag was he had never done it before, but did assure me he fully understood the procedure and had been trained. He has 10 years of corneal surgery experience but I was still very wary and if I think if I decide to go ahead with the operation this will most likely prompt me to seek another hospital that is already practicing!
Near the end of the procedure I was told something that killed all hope and excitement that had built up inside me between my previous visit and the corneal rings consultation that was taking place. The consultant said, even if I had rings inserted I would still need to wear an RGP. This was very disheartening because of the fun and games I have had over the past 2 years with trying to successfully fit a RGP! When asking why an RGP would be required in addition to the rings he told me that all the rings do is put the cornea into a better shape to receive an RGP, hence making wearing an RGP more comfortable. In theory I can see where he was coming from but in practice if the many optometrists and consultants could not diagnose why I was getting a red, sore and dry eye without the rings when wearing an RGP why did he think the bad reaction to an RGP would be less with the presence of the rings? This makes no sense to me. Surely to cure you need to diagnose!!! I thought that was basic medicine???
So, what I’d really appreciate from anyone reading this is for you to tell me if you agree with me…would having rings inserted mean I also need to use an RGP to gain better sight? Or, taking into consideration the purpose of rings, which is to reshape the cornea, would you say there is no need for an RGP? I suppose I could have the procedure done and see how I get on without an RGP. I could always add an RGP at a later date if required. If all fails I simply (I perhaps shouldn’t use that word) have the rings removed.
I know I should trust what the consultant told me more than I currently do but this is my eye sight we are talking about here and if something goes (although I’m told it is a fully reversible procedure) there may be no going back!
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and will discuss all thoughts with the consultant before making any final decisions.
Thank you all very much!
James.
