UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

please post your comments and advice as i really have no idea what to do thanks stace

Stace,

Hey there hun.

Ok take a deep breath and don't panic! You fainted not because you had lenses in, but because you had worried so much and made yourself stressed and ill with it.

It is difficult when you first get lenses and hard work at the beginning. Have you got someone to go with you to make sure that you don't overly worry? It would really help, especially if they wear lenses as well. You are right lenses can hurt at first when you are getting used to them, so it would be easier to have someone who can be with you and walk you to the waiting room. Hehe nurses are never around when you need one eh?! LOL!!

I know that you are going to read replies here and then go away and dwell on the whole lens problem. Honestly it really is understandable. What exactly was it that you didn't like? Was it having something in your eye, the thought of it or pain? Or was it with someone putting one in your eye? Maybe it was just the whole stress of being in a hospital?

If you can work out what is worrying you the most it will be so much easier to understand. If it is the whole issue with putting something in your eyes, make sure that you are rested and try to relax. I am not good with mornings so always change my appointments to the afternoon as i can think better and my eyes are more rested! I also put some lubricating eyedrops in so that my eyes aren't so dry. This does help to stop it being so painful.

Hoping that you can come back soon and let us know how you're doing. I'm always around on pm if you need to talk anytime. Take care hun, love Claire X x X

Hi Stace

Sweet has given you some very sound advice.

If you can get your mum or dad to go with you , hopefully you will feel more relaxed.

There is no getting away from it, the first time is a bit painful but it will gradually become easier each time you put the lens in. It should be better the next time but it is important you try and relax.

I found it easier to put the lens in myself and after 34 years of lenswear I still won't let the optoms put a lens in my eye.

Have another go and let us know how you get on.

Hi Stace

It is a big thing to start having lenses in your eyes. Maybe the lenses you were given were not the best thing for your eyes.

Whatever, you need to know that we are all on your side. Sweet has given you good advice, and she really does want to help in any way she can; we all do.

Taking somebody with you to the clinic is a very good idea.

All the best

Andrew

Hello Stace,

Firstly, let me reassure you in the words of Andrew's signature: DON'T PANIC.

Secondly, let me reassure you that you're not alone in fainting. I'm just the same

When I was first diagnosed with KC, I was sitting in the optician's chair in Boots, and the optician turned away and started writing up her notes. Next thing I know is that she's struggling to lift me up on to the chair whilst yelling for assistance.

I also fainted about 5 minutes AFTER my BCG injection! Oh, and (famously recorded on the DVD) during John Dart's talk at the last conference!

Claire is dead right (you can usually trust a nurse's opinion, but don't tell her that - it will go to her head!) you probably fainted once it was all over because you are either squeamish about your eyes (many people are) or were just wound up about the whole thing. Once the worst of it is over, the body relaxes... sometimes too much.

It won't be as bad next time, I promise. Even if you do start to feel that queasy feeling, tell someone straight away and sit on the floor. That way you won't hurt yourself if you do faint and also the act of doing that can take your mind off the problem sufficiently to make the faint go away.

Yes, the lenses can be uncomfortable to begin with, but you will get used to them, and you won't keep fainting either!

My advice would be to try and get the April appointment back - simply the anticpation of a nasty event can make it all the more horrific. But please do take a parent, teacher or reliable older friend with you - or even ask for a nurse to sit with you!

Above all, keep smiling - and trust me, you'll be laughing about the whole thing sooner than you think.

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat.

John

OKay Stace... deep breaths here!

First it isn't unusual to faint.. though usually its rugby player types I have trouble with! Basicaly its not knowing whats going to happen and how its going to feel is the problem.

To advise you, I need a little more info! Is the appointment in July to try the same lenses again or did they look at the lenses and decide to change them? If it is for the same ones, then all you need ask is that they put some local anaesthetic in your eyes first to numb them so the lenses won't hurt while they look at how they work.

Once you relax out, you can get an idea of how your vision will be when you wear lenses which will help to calm you down!

You know, I started wearing old fashioned hard lenses when I was 13 years old... more years ago than I care to remember. I was a total wimp when it came to putting in and taking out...in those days.. you could only wear lenses for 2 hours before taking out again..(old fashioned technology!) well.. it took me an hour to put the first one in.. then an hour to put the second one in.. by which time .. I had to take the first one out!

Well things have improved a lot since then and I generally find my patients are tons better at handling lenses than I used to be! However, everyone but EVERYONE has a bit of a panic at first. Its only natural as you do not, as a rule, go around poking yourself in the eye with bits of plastic. It is something that has to be learnt!

So do come back and chat a bit more about what happened and I'll do my best to help!

Lynn

Hi Stace,

I'm no medical expert, but I can only agree with everything that has been said above. Please have a look at my post "Just diagnosed" and the response I did on JoeBloggs post below.

Six weeks ago I had my first lens fitting and found them incredibly sore and horrid. Even the optom had trouble getting the lens in my right eye - I was fighting the pain so much. I didn't faint but that is because I had my children there and was trying to be brave for them but I thought it was truly horrific.

Now already I am used to my lenses and think they are absolutly wonderful. It is amazing how quickly it gets better.

Please hang in there and try for a little bit longer. If you can just get through this first little bit, the benefits are amazing.

hi stace
i remember very clearly the panic i felt the first time i wore contacts and i had exactly the same fainting experience. that was some 22 yrs ago but i still remember that first pain like it was today, and i also ended up having to sit a wheelchair for that first half hour or so.
back then lens technology wasnt as great as it is today and lenses were made much thicker than they are today.
it took me months to build up to complete daily lens wear , i used to build up by 15 min increments every few days or so.
i think that one of the built in problems is that so many people wear contacts these days that people become blase about it, and think its so easy, ie just whap them in and away you go, well it aint that easy at first.
one of my pet hates if you like are people who just wear them for cosmetic /vanity reasons and also "special effect /coloured lenses. personally i would give anything to be able to just wear glasses and be alright.
my advice is to keep perservering and to set yourself tiny goals that you can acheive, ie week 1 to wear for an hour a day , week 2 , 2 hours and so on. you'll get there in the end.
above all dont suffer more than you have to
good luck
mike

Why don't you ask if you can have some anaesthetic drops in your eyes? I offer this as standard on all new patients. It makes it more comfortable for them (particularly if I need to try several lenses) and it makes it easier for me to assess the fit of the lens as the eyes aren't watering as much.

I agree with what has been said above - you're certainly not the first to faint
although, as Lynne says, it's usually the men! I'm sure the apprehension is worse when you don't know what to expect, so I hope that you will feel better next time, with all the wise words you've been offered on this forum!