UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi everyone, I have been trying out a RGP contact lenses for the past few months but I seem to get the same problem with both lenses I have tried. I see well during the consultation and get get 20/30+ on the chart but when I get out into the "real" world I get terrible double vision with one image slightly above the other.

This seems to be more of a problem during the day than at night such that I am unable to drive in the contact lens during the day but am fine at night. Its like one image overlaps the other in a way that prevents me from reading anything that is over a certain distance away or seeing people's faces clearly.

I went back for a check up appointment with the contact lens clinic at Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital and explained my problem but the optician there simply said this was the best he could do and booked me in for a followup appointment for next year. This I found stange as they have always emphasised that my KC is mild.

I now feel that my options are:
1. Put up with this and cope with double vision or rely on my glasses which are OK but everything seems distorted (everything streaks, especially lights) and they are useless at night.

2. Hope that my cornea changes shape to make fitting easier.

3. Find a different contact lens clicnic who may be able to help me.

I was hoping that you guys might be able to recomend some eye clinics preferably in the North of England, although I am willing to travel pretty much anywhere if it means being able to see properly again!

Also if anyone else has had this problem (or similar) it would be nice to know that I am not alone in this.

Thanks for your help! This site is a very useful source of information, without it I think I would be very confused about KC.

Hi Stu,

Yes, I've had this problem. Perfect vision in test conditions - but not so good in practice.

One of the problems of KC is the multiple images we see - the ideal lens should merge all the images together but this isn't always the case.

A few years ago I had a Rose K lens for my left eye. If the lens was in one position the sight was excellent - but each time I blinked the multiple images would appear effectively reducing the quality of my sight. I was told the lens was a good fit - but I said that I wasn't happy and would continue to wear my old worn out lens. Fortunately a different lens design was found which doesn't cause this problem. I still have this problem with my right eye - but unless I'm tired, or am only wearing the right lens - I find my brain can ignore the problem.

You may find a different lens design reduces the problem. Do ask if they have any other designs.

Lia

hi stu

you do seem to be having problems

1 should you just put up with it?

absolutely not, there are so many options out there so why should you ?

2 wait and hope for the cornea to change shape!

the whole idea is for the lens to fit your eye not the other way round , and a badly fitted lens will likely cause far more problems for you in the long run and could damage your cornea further.

3 seek another opinion from another clinic.

most definately

lastly for your appointment to be made for a years time seems unnacceptable when you are clearly having problems , i personally make sure that my appointments are no more than 3 months apart , 2 if possible.
remember you are always in charge of your treatment at all times.
you say you would be prepared to travel. i'm a patient at manchester royal eye hospital as are a few others on here and i find them excellent in terms of there care, knowledge and expertise, manchester is just over the hills from sheffield so it might be worth you trying to get referred there. they are the northwests leading eye hospital and cover a massive area

good luck and hope you can get sorted sooner rather than later

mike[/quote]

Thanks for the advice guys. It's good to know that other people had this problem and resolved it.

I think I will go back to my GP and get referred somewhere else.

I knew it was going to be a bad day out when they suggested we might be able to get some more vision out of my left eye which is relatively unaffected by KC but has been "lazy" since I can remember, I have never been able to get passed the 3rd line on the eye chart with it.

Stu

the problem of "overlapping images" may just be a difficulty while your brain adjusts to the new visual environment. If your brain has become used to adapting to blurry images, the fact that it is now being presented again with sharp images may have a cost.

I did have a problem with "overlapping images" but once my brain had got used to the imformation it was receiving, this difficulty cleared up.

Andrew

Thanks for your reply Andrew. You may well be right. I do try to wear the lens as often as possible but this is usually limited to evenings and weekends.

I suppose its possible that becaue I can do my job and get by with my glasses and so am not forced to wear the lens that I just have not got used to it as yet.

The weirdest part about this is that I can see very well at night with the lens. I get the usual halos around lights and my vision is a still a little distorted but much much better.

I am going on holiday in a couple of weeks and so will not be doing much reading and driving. I think I will take this time to try out your theory and see if I can get used to the lens.

Again thanks for your help!

Stu,

Seeing better at night sounds a bit like light sensitivity. I see better with lightly tinted glasses when I have my lenses in. Depending on brightness I have several pairs of dark glasses.

I never wear my dark glasses at night, but my lenses are slightly tinted so this may be an option or get the tint changed.

Halos at night is not a problem unless the light source is at a certain angle for my right lens.