UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

After several months of discomfort/pain, as of today I have joined the club and am piggybacking in both eyes; so far 5 hours and only the odd twinge which is a big improvement for me.

I am pretty ham fisted and after struggling with the monthly soft lenses (immediately scrunched one below the upper eyelid - ouch!) it was decided I would be better off to have the daily ones.

I have seen from a previous post that the monthly lenses are far better because they allow more oxygen to the eye. Is this true and should I see if I can have these after all?

Hi Michael - and welcome to "our club!"

Can't help with your query I'm afraid - but if you've not been used to soft lenses before, they do take a little bit of getting used to to start with. And scrunching them up sometimes does happen - even to the best of us! But you can usually still use them afterwards.
The difference between the monthly and daily lenses in terms of handling them is (in my book) virtually nothing! They are both flimsy - it just doesn't matter if you tear a daily as you've always got another one! But the monthly ones are a little more robust.

I generally find a six month supply of monthlies lasts me 5 months, so that's not bad.

And you don't have long painted fingernails like me! (...or at least I hope not!!)

Glad you've got sorted out at long last anyway.

Hi and welcome tothe piggybacking club!
Are you piggybacking under corneal (the small ones) or scleral (2p sized) lenses?

I'm piggybacking under a scleral in my right eye. using daily disposables. Don't thin I'd everhave had the patience to go down this route if I'd had to start doing all the messing about sterilising the soft elnses.
Cant get the soft one in on its own first at all - cones just too steep. I put it inside the scleral and try to get them in together. SOmetimes it takes two or three goes to get them oth in together and straight. Very dfiddly. Much bbetter ewearing times though - unfortunatel vision deteriorates before the comfort ears off.
Rosemary

Pat

The daily lens seems to be very tough and did not easily succumb to my attempt to rip it apart last night.

As for finger nails, well, I hope to grow them back now so they are certainly not a problem.I won't be painting them though!

Rosemary

I am wearing the soft lenses under normal RGP's.
I agree with you about the nuisance of sterilising the monthlies but I am just a little concerned about the possible problems due to lack of oxygen getting through.

I will try and put the lenses in this morning. It will be interesting to see how long I can wear them.

This brings me to another question - can one wear the lenses as long as they feel comfortable or should they be taken out after a set wear time, say 12 hours irrespective of comfort?

Michael
I was advised not to exceed 12-14 hours for piggy backing on a regular basis because of the oxygen levels. Occasional wear for longer isn't a big issue though. But as I haven't managed more than 7 hours (with the RGP in) anyway it's not a real problem for me! I was also advised to try and have at least one lens free day a week if possible.
But the soft lens I wear underneath the RGP, on it's own but with glasses gives me a tiny improvement in my ability to read - and so I have kept that in for 12-14 hours with no real problems.

Let us know how you are getting on.

And by the way, if you are currently using 2 sets of cleaning solutions, I can recommend Quattro solution which does the trick for both types of lens. It's available from post-optics.

Best wishes

Thanks Pat.

As I have daily soft lenses at least I only have to worry about one lot of solutions.

Yesterday, I went through a very painful day with my right eye. As I took my lenses out last night I thought I would be visiting A&E this morning so I could go through to the CL Dept.

However after groping around in my eye for 5 minutes trying to remove the soft lens it dawned on me that it wasn't there! It had never made it into the eye . I must admit I was surprised at how quickly I had inserted it - barely 10 minutes! That would have been quick.

Anyway both lenses are in this morning and it took me about 20 minutes for each lens, but they are in and feeling quite comfortable at the moment.

I have noticed though that the vision in my left eye has dropped off and become a little cloudy with a brown tinge which i think is a side effect of the cataract procedure and may mean a touch of laser treatment to correct this.

Michael,i tried to put my left contact lens in this morning.It was painfull,i had throw it out.i should be getting my scleral lens next month.hope you get on okay with your piggy-back lenses.

Thanks Elizabeth.

As of now, 6.10pm I have had my first pain-free day for months. I can't believe it .

I am delighted to hear you have seen Ken and he is goung to sort you out with Sclerals.

Let us know how you get on.

I have had lots of problems for long time.Moving MEH was good idea. not to do with KC .other problems to do with my eyes.

Michael i hope you stay pain free.