cataract in the eye that I had cornea graph? Please help

[cuddly]

hi people

I am new to this site. I have had KC for about 7 years about three years ago i had conrea graph in the left eye everything was good and i was blessed with good vision. about year and half after the operation i started to find it difficult to see in the eye so i was given contacts as i am used to it as i wear one in the other eye. But they didnt improve the vision and this june i have been told my vision loss is becasue of cataract which has been developing over the past year and half in my eye. At first i was shocked as im only 22 and i only assumed old people had them, now i have been told im gonna have cataract operation. I am scared as i have never heard of any one else having this issue. The doctors sort looked confused and didnt have any reason why it has happened. Please someone help me as i feel lost.

I would be very grateful for someones input in to this dicussion.

Many thanks

[Asif]

A cataract is basically loss of transparancy of the lens. There are several factors that cause a cataract not just age related. It could be congenital, aquired or secondary to other ocular conditions. There are many different types of cataracts, the ophthalmologist should have told you what type it was and what may have precipitated it. Steriod drops can also precipitate cataract formation, which could be a contributing factor in your case with your grafted eye. There a different techniques for cataract extraction. The lens has a nucleus which is encolsed by a lens capsule. Basically an incision is made at the limbal region outside the cornea. The lens nucleus is removed from the capsule and a IOL (intra ocular lens) is inserted. Once the cataract is removed your vision should be better. Hope it goes well for you.

[Pat A]

Hi Cuddly
I'm sorry I really can't help you with the reasons why you have developed a cataract at a young age - but I (along with a few others who post on this forum) have recently had cataract operations and it really isn't anything to worry about.
(I'm not "old" yet either - older than you but there's still life in the old girl !) The procedure takes about 10 mins under local and the recovery time is pretty quick, ( a few days only) although can vary a little between individuals. As you have had a graft it might be a little longer I guess - but I could be wrong there too.

Do PM me if you want the detail as to what happens during the op. I haven't posted it here as you may not want to know! But for a scaredy cat like me it was a piece of cake!

Hopefully it will make a big difference to your sight and you will start to see clearly again.

Best Wishes
Pat

[tommy.dean]

hey cuddly, i've developed a cataract too post graft it dosnt effect my vision yet but i've been told it there NOT BY THE NHS WHO DID THE TRANSPLANT THO! anyway it's a usefull post that i'm doing as many of my post are demed as negative or offensive which considering i'm a 20 year old passafist is quite contradicting anyway it may be due to steroide eye drop use as it's well documented that they cause cateracts and glucoma, it's just sad that so many of us keratoconics are left to strugle with these types of eye conditions post graft yet it's still a success!! (no doubt i'm part of the 95% statistic!) i havent been posting on this board very often lately because of the negative feeed back i've been given also i've just lost hope in these so called self help groups i think i do more helping in real life telling people about the situation us keratoconics are left in with only the options of rgp contacts which are proven to progress the disease and 100 year old technics of transplantaion they used to drill holes in peoples head till around 1912 for depression but yet this is still a "sight saving" operation, it's sad i know if i had been told the truth from the beging (yes i've said this before) i would have been able to have c3r an maybe had poorer vision but i would have had my own cornea's and not have the constant worry of rejection and other problems which come with the transplants, i've been told of yet another patient of my lovely ex nhs hospitals leading corneal disease specialist who has had a bad time a 50 year old man crying to a young woman because of the unessasary pain he's been caused. See i just can't post on here without trying to bring it to light our own suffering to be honest i'm not even bothered KC group is supposed to be a charaity for our disease an as a 20 year old who's had 2 transplants along with some other self elected surgerys which the leadin hospital in the nw took away from me for funding reseasons i have had nothing but detrimental coments and slagging off which considering most of the people who say these things are alot older than me they should know better, it's just like i put a post saying the terrrible trouble i'd had with KC and my transplants and it was put into a special section with some to be honest know matter what i said some quite shocking comments this has nothin to do with this topic and i'm sorry cuddly for posting it in your section of the board, hope your okay and the fact of you having a cateract so young doesn't phase you, KC is a horrible disease and effects you emotionally more than any other visual impairment i know this from self experiance and from the people i know from the blind society. I just wish instead of some people being negative about the things i have said they could heed them and help me because more than they know it could help other people with KC. I have written a letter to gorden brown as he had cotreversal laser treatment done in the 80's to get him vision in his one working eye explaining the reasons for KC'ers needing grafts and the opertunities there were to avoide this outcome and also the different techniques availible currently on the nhs and also the surpression of these and explaining why it is so terrible that when only conventional methods of treating the disease are made availible that the prk and tosca enabled lasik are withdrawn from us due to funding. I know from self experiance that we are mistreaded because we have a "rare disease" which in itself is utter rubish when the fact we have 20/20 keeratoconis and the figure 1 in 2000 is done with outdated topgrafys and the new wavefornt techniqes of mapping the conea bing it alot lot high=er i have heard 1 in 450 spoken about, all in all it is just sad which is why i dont post much anymore ive given up on most KC'ers and i don't see a reason why i would want to associate with them most people i know listen to me about my problems and give me good advise and when the main uk self help group doesn't give me this it make me wonder and question what it is here for a few dvd's givin backdated information and a sad forum full of visually impairdes where is my help where was my support? i asked for it so did other members and a rnib support link was given so my question is what do's the KC group as a charity do for keratoconics? do's it raise awearness do's it get things changed where are the studies it supposedly uses the donations to carry out which i was told in a topic on this board it doesn't by the treasurer but on the main page it state's where is the information on treatments where is the help where is the support i should start selling mugs and phone holder for KC i think i could run a forum and sort out 1 conference every year do more anne, john moderate the people who are offensive and hurtfull don't be hatefull to me for raising these issues heed them maybe think what you would have acted like if you were younger and had the knolage you had now after 2 transplants and stil hearing everyday of KC suffering be it badly fitted contact lenses or tranplants performed by registra's because KC has the best outcome compaired to damaged cornea's due to chemical bunes or perferation, would you be saying something or would you forget about it an let it carry on, imo we need to start a movement off and get things changed i was told KC group had somthing to do with the big push of dalk transplants i highly doubt this an challing proof to be posted on the board show people what they are donating for, i'm bugged by the nhs's ignorance and this charaties neglagence, it really upsets me and i sometimes lye awake worrring about what could be happening to other KC'ers worring that it could have been made better for them worring that something could have been done. As i said cuddly sorry for posting this in your section and i really hope you can have your problem with the cataract fixed there are options availible on the nhs such as lens replacement but i would look carefully about where you have it done as iff you've developed a cateract at your current hopital could this have been avoided could it have been soped from affecting your vision could you have been told about it sooner you said you have been told it has been developing for 1 1/2 years why wernt you told? do's your nhs hospital have the surgeons to fix this problem for you question everything don't feel like your anoying them it's your right! blah blah blah blah blah i can go on forever hope you manage to get it sorted will be praying for you.
tom

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Cuddly!
I'm really sorry that having had a corneal graft that initially went well, you now have a cataract to contend with. But as others have said, cataracts can happen for all sorts of reasons. Having a corneal transplant can give a slightly increased risk of developing a cataract, and a handful of our members have had this happen, but it can also happen quite independently.
But if you do need to have an operation, removing a cataract is much more straightforward than a corneal graft. I do hope it goes well for you and do let us know how you get on.
All the best
Anne

[cuddly]

THANK YOU ALL
Im thankful for your words of wisdom it really helps nowing how others are coping with KC. I have been told it is caused by steriods but its nice to know tommy there are ohers who have it. Thankfully my NHS hospital is of atmost best as they have helped me deal with alot of issues and i am grateful to the doctors and nurses. I am very thankful for all of your views and comments, Pat i will PM you to found out more about the caratract op.

Thank you and may god bless you all with better vision. The main thing is that i am happy that still have vision even if its bad because i can still see the beautiful things in life.

[Pat A]

Hi Cuddly - have PM'd you today - my broadband was down yesterday......

[Lynn White]

Cuddly

Yes, prolonged use of steroids can cause early cataract in some cases and yes, its a very straightforward operation as others have told you here. In fact, its the most common eye operation in the world, as hundreds of people have it every day! You should see a lot better afterwards!


Lynn

[kellz123]

Thanks for your feedback on eye surgery as I am considering it very soon. I need to set up an appointment within the next month, any suggestions?

[John Smith]

Hello Kellz, and welcome to the forum.

Sorry to sound negative, but if you have any Keratoconus, laser eye surgery is a very bad idea; as it would thin an already thin cornea. KC is seen as a contraindication to LASIK. You should make sure that you discuss this with your consultant.