Well I dont know why you're wearing contacts...

[Eddie S]

Thanks all for your help.

It kind of backs up what I have been thinking already - that the transplant is still the 'last resort' and intacs may help me to see better, hopefully getting me out of my lenses.

I've kind of got over the sick feeling now and I am looking forward to seeing what the specialist says on my next visit.

[Eddie S]

Ok, here's a new question for you.

Just been back to see the specialist and he has said that I should to continue to only wear my left contact lens.

Between him and his colleague he spoke about my right eye being 'toxic' - any idea what that means other than that I can't wear a lens in it?!

He's asked me to go back in a couple of months time at which point we'll discuss intacs further. He says my eyes are suitable and he would hope that I would get back to vision with glasses.

Ed

[GarethB]

Eddie,

Where I have heard the phrase toxic used is when you have an eye infection. Some contact lens cases have a cage the lens is held in and so they share the same solution when cleaning and so potential for the infection to spread to the other lens.

Beyond that I have no other explanation.

[Andrew MacLean]

Eddie

I am afraid that some ophthalmologists, as indeed some doctors in general, talk about the patient as if (s)he were not in the room. If I had heard anyone use a word like "toxic" in relation to my eye, ear, nose or foot, I'd have asked exactly what he meant and what he intended to do about it.

It is YOUR eye. Challenge, ask questions and do not stop until you get a satisfactory answer.

Andrew

[Eddie S]

You're very right Andrew, I should have done just that and kicking myself now for not asking.

I think at the time I was still chuckling at the way he described intacs as a 'bra for the cornea' and relief that he was no longer talking about going full speed into a transplant.

[Val G]

Eddie

I was intrigued by the 'toxic' comment made to you. Googling brought up toxic keratopathy, I wonder if that is what was inferred?

[Lynn White]

Eddie...

The problem with seeing a professional is that you remember everything you need to ask.... about an hour later!

No-one here can give advice without knowing more. You do really need to know WHY the eye is "toxic" and WHY continued contact lens wear is not advisable. You may be able to find out more by ringing up the specialist's secretary or indeed the specialist may well have written a letter to your GP about you and you have the right to see that or at least get the GP to explain things a little more.

I suspect the eye is suffering from oxygen lack - but really can't say more without more info!

Lynn

[Eddie S]

Hi Lynn,

I agree - I think its come from swapping locations - the specialist I used to see (in Brighton) I had been seeing for years and she would explain everything to me, involve me in the procedure and because I was a 'difficult' person to fit with lenses would often try me out on new things.

I'm still getting to know the new specialist (Leicester) and his way of working so as you say, you remember things an hour later. I may well phone as you suggest.

I tend to agree with you though on the oxygen lack - I wear SoftPerm lenses and everytime I see a new specialist they always breathe in deeply and go 'hmm, SoftPerms' including one specialist from the US. The problem is I love my SoftPerm lenses, I've never really been able to endure wearing anything else.

Earlier in the year I had a lot of problems with dry eyes - swapping to new solutions seems to have stopped the problem but I'm guessing that it maybe a hangover from that. My GP initially treated me as if I had an eye infection (I was getting red eyes) but after a series of tests, including a horrible swab test (ouch) at eye A&E for the most undetectable of infections I came out clear.

I haven't been given drops or anything for the bad eye so I don't think it is an infection problem.

Hmmmm!

Ed

[Lynn White]

W=Eddie

If it is an oxygen problem, another type of lens may help... such as the Jack Allen Flexi-Edge. This is like a soft perm but can be better at oxygen transmission and can be fenestrated (ie holes drilled in to let oxygen through)

Always a good idea to try all alternatives methinks! If you are interested in this give me a pm and I'll explain more.

Lynn

[Eddie S]

Val,

Thanks for your post too - I did reply but somewhere along the line my mouse didnt make it to the submit button. A senior moment I thinks (bad excuse, I am only 34)

You could be right but of the links I clicked on spoke about a condition appearing after LASIK which i've not had - in fact told in no uncertain tems by my last specialist not to go anywhere near (because of my KC).

I did notice one reference to dry eyes though which I have suffered from recently. Maybe something in the anti-infection drops I was given had a nasty affect?

Oh well, I'll carry on with just my left lens. He has allowed me to put the 2nd lens in for driving - he wants me alive for the next appointment

Ed