New lens

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pops
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New lens

Postby pops » Fri 20 Jul 2007 8:07 am

Hi Peeps

I was interested to read the following article on sky news website, could it be of any use for KC sufferers

Sight For Snore Eyes: Vision Fixed In Bed
By Thomas Moore
Health correspondent
Updated: 08:56, Friday July 20, 2007

Short-sighted people can now get 20/20 vision with a revolutionary contact lens which corrects their eyesight while they sleep.

The treatment can be reversedThe Ortho K lens is a rigid plastic disc that flattens the front of the eyeball, restoring normal vision.

Users take them out when they wake up and the eyes retain their new shape for the rest of the day.

Unlike laser surgery the treatment can be reversed. The prescription can also be changed as eyesight deteriorates with age.

Optician David Thomas has used the lenses on a number of his patients.


"It's basically the same as a brace in dentistry. It moulds the surface of the cornea, flattens it and therefore makes the eye normally sighted," he said.

"A short sighted eye is usually too big."

Opticians monitor the changing shape of the eyeball with a machine that maps the contours of the cornea.

The lens can be refined to even out natural ridges on the surface of the eye.

But other eye specialists are concerned about the long-term effects of wearing the lenses.


The new lensDr Larry Benjamin, from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, warned: "It's a technique with proven benefit in people with a small amount of short sight.

"However, in a small number of people there can be serious side affects such as an eye infection which can damage the vision."

Peter Todd-Jones has used the lenses for 10 days. Before he could barely read the top line of an eye chart.

Now he has perfect vision.

He said: "I'd heard the miracle stories - that you put them in one night and the next night you've got 20/20 vision.

"It's pretty close to that. I expected it to take some time but it's been very, very good."
"

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Matthew_
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Postby Matthew_ » Fri 20 Jul 2007 12:58 pm

Hmmm Interesting! I am sure we are about to find out why it doesn't work on KC!
But if it did, wouldn't that be great!
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Pat A
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Postby Pat A » Fri 20 Jul 2007 1:05 pm

Hi
2 of my friends/colleagues have tried these out - and both have suffered serious eye infections (one even ended up in hospital overnight it was so bad!). :cry: :cry:

Who knows whether or not they followed the instructions to the letter - but neither of them are the kind of people to take risks and NOT do as told by their medics.
Pat

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We grow old because we stop playing.

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GarethB
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Postby GarethB » Fri 20 Jul 2007 1:30 pm

This was mentioned at the AGM and basically as soon as you take the lens off the KC eye it bulges straight out again.

Many eons ago it was said lenses pushing on the KC eye cure to condition. More than 20 years ago this was proved to be rubish.

Might be OK for short sight, useless for KC.
Gareth

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Sajeev
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Postby Sajeev » Fri 20 Jul 2007 2:16 pm

There is a study going on with these lenses for KC at the moment in conjunction with Crosslinking.

On general purpose for KC with out this study ending, putting pressure on the KC "cone" is not a good idea I'm told.

However there is a Dr who fits not "in one go" in a too shorter time frame, but over a period of several months, one lens after another over months, in stages to achieve the final optimal results for the patient, which could not be done "in one go". There is always an exception to the rule.
Last edited by Sajeev on Fri 20 Jul 2007 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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timtim
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Postby timtim » Fri 20 Jul 2007 2:46 pm

Hmm, that is interesting, Sajeev. What that Dr is trying by gradually trying to reduce the KC with the use of those lenses. I'd be very curious to see if tat could possibly be successful

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GarethB
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Postby GarethB » Fri 20 Jul 2007 3:13 pm

I can see the theory behind doing it with crosslinking.

A case of watch this space and see what data gets generated.
Gareth


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