UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi
As usual, you always think of questions after the event!!
For the optoms who read this forum or anyone who currently piggy backs, can you help me with a couple of questions please?

Solutions - the solutions for cleaning and wetting RGP's and soft lenses are of course different. No problem putting in the soft lens with the soft lens solution - but if you then wet the RGP with the RGP solution, doesn't this affect the soft lens underneath?

Having very successfully piggy backed on Monday and Tuesday, today I simply cannot get any comfort from the soft lens , let alone the hard one. I am used to using soft lenses and don't usually have any problems (although obviously do have the odd off day) - any thoughts on whether it might just be my eye protesting, or is it more likely to just be co-incidence that I'm having an off day? (I have done the obvious like checking the lens as carefully as I can for damage or debris). I have a very very slight ache in the eye today too.

Do others use daily or monthly disposables as the soft lens? Does it make a difference to comfort? Moorfields gave me a monthly disposable but it does seem very thin compared to my monthly torics that I have been used to.

Thanks.

(PS. Apologies for the emoticon at the end, I've been playing around with my profile signature - it won't stay like that!)

Hi Pat,

I have a very very slight ache in the eye today too.

I have had this today and my lens was uncomfortable from the off and I wish I had never worn the thing or gone to hospital by myself. After haveing my nose quarterised I have been in severe nasal discomfort since and this always affects my eyes. So if you are like me, then this is why you are not getting on with the lens today.

My friend who runs his own vehicle recovery business kindly recovered me and my car from the hospital.

Can i just say i think you are great for persevering as i tried for 2 days with piggyback lenses and went straight back to the hospital and said 'no way!'. I found it so much hassle keeping two pairs of lenses. Hence i am now wearing sclerals.

Heken
Thanks - I know what you mean - it certainly is quite a bit of hassle. But at the moment it's worth it because I can see so much more clearly without pain - and hopefully this will enable me to get back to work. I'll just have to see how it goes longer term...

Pat can I ask you if daily disposable soft lenses (i think there are silicon hydrogels that can be used) could be a help to you, to piggy back, did they mention this at your visit at all. At least they will help with the reduced amount of solution storaging needed. Nice to hear your doing well.

I was advised to piggy back when i first got diagnosed after difficulty in getting used to RGPs. I was wearing soft lenses before i was diagnosed and this was probably why i found rgps uncomfortable.

I actually did find it inconvenient using 2 lots of solutions and found having 2 lenses in my eyes more uncomfortable, the rgp kept moving around, the 2 solutions mixed together was irritating and the soft lens would curl up and disappear under my eyelid.

I only mananged piggy backing for 3 days as it was so uncomfortable. the whole experience actually turned out to make it easier for me to resort back to rgps and although not totally comfortable it certainly felt alot better then piggy backing. 8 years down the road i am relying and managing rgps.

having said that different people have different experiences and many people find piggy backing great. hope things work out well for you.

My mistake and I should have read your first post, its the question you ask as well.

Sajeev
No -problem.

But, please is there an optom out there who can answer my first question at least please? I am concerned at whether I am doing the right thing or not with my solutions and as each day passes I could be damaging either my eyes or my lenses!

Thanks

Hi I have been piggybacking since July 2006, I have been wearing RGPS since 1983.

I use daily disposables supplied by Moorfields.

They said as long as I rinse the rgps in saline it does not matter about the cleaning solution as I think the saline clears it. I am using bausch & Lombe Saline with added comfort drops and I rehydrate withblink or similar preservative free.

I think the comfort is great but every once in while I have bad eye days.

I think you should be fine if the rgp is rinsed in preservative free solution

Thanks James - that's really helpful.

I think I'll ask my local optician for some daily disposables - at least that way it's one less cleaning regime. And they can't be any thinner than the monthly one Moorfields gave me!