UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello all, I hope this list of prices will be useful to those with keratoconus living in London. All these prices are correct as of today (30th August).

As for how good these clinics/ophthalmologists are, I don't know. It would be highly advisable for anyone considering either of these treatments to research the clinics themselves, for example, how many patients the doctor has performed the treatment on, what their success rates are like, etc.

I have tried to include any additional information i have about each clinic as well.


University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany.
This hospital, as well as being the best priced, have also been doing this treatment the longest (fr 6 years). The treatment it self was pioneered here, and so it could be assumed they have the most experience with cross linking.

Initial Consultation - 250 Euros (~£170)
C3R Per eye - 600 Euros (~£455) (This includes aftercare)
Intacs - Unknowen


DR David O'Brart
http://www.davidobrart.co.uk/

Inital consultation with scans - £250
C3R Per eye - £750 (includes 2 free subsequent consultations, but no aftercare.)
Intacs per eye - £2000 (Add £650 for hospital free)


London Vision Clinic
http://www.londonvisionclinic.com/
Professor Reinstein, who carries out treatment here is generally viewed as a very experienced surgeon, and his clinic is viewed with high regard. They were one of the first to trial C3R in the UK.

*All prices include £150 initial consultation and 12 months aftercare*
C3R Both eyes - £3000
Intacs both eyes - £4500
C3R and Intacs combined, both eyes - £6000


London Centre for Refractive Surgery (LCRS)
http://www.lcrs.co.uk/
Dr David Jory.

initial Consultation - Free
C3R per eye - £900
Intacs per eye - £2000
C3R and Intacs combined, per eye - £2500



Thanks for reading, and hope some of you have found this useful.

PS.If anyone wants to add to this list please message me.

Do we know anything about how widely C3R is available on the NHS? I know that Intacs is becoming a commoner procedure on the NHS also

Riz... nice! ...thanks for doing that buddy, i know all of them personally and there are many others too... and many many more to join the ranks that i've been in touch with! What's being talked about in the corridors has not hit home. Anyway, glad your on top of the info.

All the very best

Following the NICE guidance on INTACS, it will be much easier for consultants to get funding approval on the NHS. This should make the procedure more widely available than has been.

I know of a few people that have tried to get treatment in Dresden from this country because they have been doing the treatment longest. All have been refused because C3R is now available in the UK at the establishments mentioned.

All have said they will not do C3R on my KC, I fulfill all the treatment criterea bar 1 and that is the level of KC in the right eye. They are also afraid of how the treatment will affect my grafts, the KC is in the host cornea the graft is attached to.

So these places do appear to be careful in who they treat.

GarethB wrote:So these places do appear to be careful in who they treat.

I guess that this is a sign of the truth that is repeated throughout the strings in the forum: some treatments are suitable for some people and not for others.

Andrew

Thanks Sajeev. When you have a moment, it would be very much appreciated if you could forward any details of surgeons carrying out C3R with prices, to me, and ill add them to this list.

Andrew, I know Intacs are available on the NHS, but as far as i know, C3R is not unfortunately.

GarethB, thats very strange. When i called Dresden hospital, Sarah Keller, the manager of the opthalmology department, was more then happy to quote me prices, and even told me when they had free appointments when i could book for the consultation and the treatment.
I'm sure this was not a mistake, as she knew i was from London, and her colleague even suggested that i may want to get it done locally as many places in London did C3R. When i stated that price was an issue and that i was under the impression Dresden was the cheapest, they said i could get it done there if wanted to.

Karl R - This is wonderful news! I know that until now, the wait to get Intacs done on the NHS was long, and that not every one eligible was given the option. This should help a lot of people out.

Riz

We had an ophthalmologist who spoke to the Scottish Group some time ago. (I think his name was Ramamurty). At that time a number of Ethics Committees were beginning to look at pilot studies for C3R implementation. I know that some centres are piloting the procedure, and I guess it is just a matter of time before they clear that hurdle and begin to offer the whole package on the NHS.

In the meantime the science continues to go to peer review and over the next ten years or so we will see definitive results begin to emerge. I found this on the ilase website (http://www.ilase.co.uk/c3r.html)

Is C3R suitable for all keratoconus patients?
C3R is a relatively new treatment and its place in the treatment of keratoconus is still being defined. This will become more apparent as more people are treated around the world and the results of these treatments are published. To date, the published literature suggests that C3R is most suited to patients with progressive keratoconus. That means patients whose glasses or contact lens prescription is changing quite frequently, or whose vision is becoming worse despite using contact lenses, or whose corneal topography maps show clear progression of keratoconus.

Andrew

Its gone far beyond prices Riz ... PM is the word! (or two)

Also your right about Dresden.

Useful thread guys! Thanks. I was looking at this for a bit when I developed an intolerance to my lenses and was looking at other options. I was considering going private as I wasn't getting answers from the NHS. I have to say that since then the NHS has redeemed itself considerably and I am now looking at a graft in November; which is I am sure the right answer for my situation.
But these prices tie in with my research although, I only looked in this country. Intacs can now be done on the NHS too (has been mentioned), although I think there is still some reluctance. I think it will depend on your consultant.