UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

i have my hosp app to talk about graft and go on waitin list soon. Im startin to panic as to what will happen. How will they match tissue etc or do they.
I have post natal depression so im finding it all a bit worse than it might be i suppose.
but id like to go knowing whta will happen.

cherishu2

I am sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time after your delivery. I hope thing sbecome brighter soon.

As to your potential graft; try not to panic. It is sensible to have questions you want to ask, and I have always found it a good idea to write my questions down in a notepad as they occur to me. I carry this notepad into the consultant's room with me and make sure that I go over all my quesitons before I leave.

In my experience, consultant really enjoy their patients taking an interest in what is going on. There is no such thing as a silly question.

Because the cornea has no direct blood supply (it gathers oxygen from the atmosphere), there is no need for the sort of tissue match that would be common in other transplant operations. Furthermore, it iw possible to store corneal tissue. I think they like to match the donor and the recipient by age.

All the best. Do let us know how you get on.

Andrew

Cherishu,

Sorry to hear about the post natel depression. My wife went through that so if you want someone to talk to and share experiences, pm me and she is happy to have a chat with you. (Just contacted her and she says it is OK ) We are not far way being just outside Rugby, just across the M1.

On the graft front once done you will be kicking yourself for worrying so.

No tissue typing if it is the first. In addition to Andrews notepad, take a friend with you to take down the answers for you.

My surgeon explained with large diagrams (that was all I could see) what the procedure involved, back then only a full penetrating graft (PK) where all the cornea layers are replaced was available. Today depending on how close the cone is to the cornea edge, scarring and so on they will aim to do a partial thickness graft where just the top few layers are replaced (DALK).

Probably be in surgery for about an hour completely in the land of nod and possibly a nights stay in hospital. The eye will feel gritty and sore for a couple of days may be a week. You might be photosensitive too so take a good pair of sunglasses with you.

You will have eye drops to prevent infection and steroid ones to reduce the risk of rejection and it also helps with the healing process.

Initially you will have a vists after a few days and perhaps after a week or so. As the healing progresses these become less frequent.

Once vision is stabilised you can get glasses, sooner if you do not mind regular prescription changes. 12 to 18 months post op and in most cases all the stitches are removed. As the cornea heals a couple will be removed here and there; the aim is to get the new cornea to be as normal as possible once healing is complete.

Hope this helps.

Gareth

cherishu

i was put on the waiting list not too long ago, after a very lengthy chat with my consultant.

i was given a topography by a very knowledgable and helpful nurse and then to my consultant, and despite MREH being a very busy hospital i spent approx 2 hours asking questions and never once felt rushed, in fact i felt that the more questions i asked the more they wanted to explain to me and reassure me. they also explained everything in plain english so that i fully understood everything that would be involved both in terms of pre op care and after care, then i was invited to telephone or call in to the hospital at any time if i had any more questions.

hope fully you will find the same

mike