UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi Guys

Just wanted to post regarding my experience of piggybacking.
I wear rgp lenses at the moment. On a good day i am getting about 3-4 hours of comfortable use, after this period, i feel the accumulation of dirt and "sleep" around and under my lens make them too uncomfortable to wear.
I had an appointment on fri, and discussed my concerns, he proposed trying piggybacking, for which he gave me the lenses immediately. My initial thoughts where that they were very comfortable. I also had no problem putting them in and taking out. After a few hours, the dirt began to accumulate between my rgp and soft lens, then after a bit my vision was a around 40% due to the cludiness.
Is it normal to almost permanently have "sleep" in my eyes, as my optician thinks this is normal?
Is there anything i can do to reduce this?

Thanks in advance

Hi Pops

Like you, I started piggybacking a few weeks ago and i must say it has been brilliant for me and I have extended wearing times with none of the problems you refer to.

Hopefully you will receive some informed and helpul comments from others shortly.

I dont know what you exactly mean when you say 'sleep' but I had the exact sa,e problem. Your vision becomes hazy because the contact lens could be drying out and plus because there is an extra lens there is a lack of oxygen gettin to the cornea. To be honest for me it didnt make much of a difference comfort wise either. It may work for some people but not for me.

Pops,

I had a problem with poor lens wear time and muck building up. I eventually found out that my tears were far from ideal, they were leacking a surfactant that allows a lubricating lipid component to flow in the saline tears.

This was overcome by trying a range of eye drops and I eventually settled on Systane by Alcon. Initially I had to use drops every couple hours to get a days wear, but after three months I could start backing the frequency down. Things improved further when I cut out caffeine drinks, fizzy dinks and concentrated fruit drinks. Now I drink at least 2 litres of water per day, have milk and instead of fruit drinks have the whole fruit.

For the past 18 months I get a regular 12 hours plus lens wear and no gunk build up in the eye. The Systane is used first thing in morning before putting lenses in and after tking lenses out. I rub my eyes far less now too.