UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello,

I'm booked to have INTACS put in next week and I'm very nervous about the procedure. It will be under local anaesthetic and I've been warned it's not particularly pleasant. Can anyone put my mind at rest about the procedure?
Thanks
Louise

Louise

The worst thing I ever had done under local anesthetic was the removal of my cataract and the insertion of my implant. It was a piece of cake! I hope that your Intacs procedure is as good.

There will be a nurse to hold your hand throughout the procedure. I was told that if I wanted to say anything, I should squeeze the nurse's hand. The nurse would tell the surgeon that I wanted to speak and the surgeon would take everything sharp away so that if my head moved while I was speaking I'd not be injured.

As things went, I managed to contain my desire to join in the "in-theatre" chit chat until the operation was finished and a shield had been taped in place.

Andrew

Louise,

Like Andrew, I had cataracts removed under local anaesthetic and indeed it was a "piece of cake".

I should imagine if it is being done under local anaesthetic it shouldn't be too bad.

I think it is important though to try and relax; I nearly fell asleep during my first cataract procedure!

Like Andrew and Michael, I too had my cataract done under local, had the nurses hand to hold and it was no problem at all.

Except I would much rather have squeezed the surgeon's hand - not whilst he was operating on me though!! ...............gosh, was he eye candy!!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your confidence boosting comments. Did any of you have a suction thing put on your eye to hold it in place, while an incision was made? I'm not keen on feeling pressure and is the principal part I'm worried about.
Are cataracts related to KC?

Louise

Cataracts are not related to KC, but people with KC are not immune to cataracts.

The cataract procdure is slightly more invasive than the Intacs, but there was no suction thingy to keep my eye still. From time to time the surgeon would tell me to move my eye, so that he could get a better angle to poke one of his sharp things into it!

Andrew

Unfortunately the procedure is the one thing I can't make any comment on as I has mine done under general anesthetic, I did ask about local but my surgeon wanted to do it under general.

Be prepared for the post op effects, feeling of grittiness in the eye, watering of the eye and a dull constant ache.

Should you be unlucky enough to get an infection post op, you will have my sympathies as I know how this feels.

I hope that you get the same outcome from the operation as I did.

Karl - Sorry to hear of you suffered an infection post op. I'm hoping I can deal with the after pain, it's the procedure, where I have no control, that worries me.

Andrew - I think the suction thing is just used for Lasik and INTACS. I'll just have to take an extra dose of Valium!

Cheers
Louise

Once the infection had cleared, it wasn't so much painful as annoying and fairly easy to cope with

Hi Louise

I had the procedure last August and I found the experience not too bad.
The only problem I had was with light sensitivity although this I understand was due to the femtosecond laser they used.
8 months on and the vision is now very good with glasses.

Good luck