UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi all,

I've just been diagnosed with KC, I'm 26, which, judging by other peoples stories seems quite late. At the moment they have told me I can manage with glasses, and further action won't be needed enless the condition worsens. This hasn't stopped me from worrying that it might deteriorate quickly, or develop in my other eye. The internet is a wonderful tool but I think that reading about KC has just worried me more!!

Sagey

Welcome to the forum. for most people with KC the condition can be managed by the wearing of glasses or then by wearing contact lenses. Let's hope that your condition falls into this happy majority. Keep us in touch with how things are going for you.

Yours aye

Andrew

Hi Sagey and welcome to the forum.

I have had KC for 35ish years and have sucessfully worn rgp's throughout.

I think you will find the vast majority of sufferers have few problems with glasses or rgp's and they are the silent majority.

Many of the members of this forum are either newly diagnosed and hence worrying or are the more extreme cases.

So Sagey, my advice to you is please stay calm and learn as much as you can from this forum regarding the progress being made in the management of this condition.

All the best.

welcome to the forum. as has been said, hopefully your eyes wont degenerate v much and you'll be ok with glasses or lenses.

best wishes,


tim

Hi sagey,

Welcome to the forum

I was 33 when I had KC diagnosed in both eyes, the right being much more progressed than the left. A few months after diagnosis I had to give up driving because my sight had reached the stage where it was no longer safe to drive (actually had been below the required standard for a while thinking back on it ). This is not saying that the KC had suddenly and drastically progressed though, more of a gradual decline that had been ongoing for a number of years before diagnosis. Two years later and the KC in my left eye has hardly changed, the right had Intacs fitted in February last year.

With KC the progress tends to be exponential, with the most development occurring during the teen years before levelling off in your 30's. There is every chance that your KC will not progress further to the stage where corrective surgery is required and can be managed with glasses or contacts for many years to come.

As Micheal P has said you generally find that people on here fall into 3 categories:-

1. Newly diagnosed - hence confused, worried and trying to gain as much information as they can
2. Extreme cases - grafting having been the only option
3. Old timers (no offence to those out there ) - those who have had KC for years or have had corrective surgery; this includes myself.

Having KC is not the end of the world, far from it!!!! You manage your KC not your KC manage you. I, and others, believe that KC patients, are of much stronger character than most other "normal" people because of the challenges we have to overcome and the way in which we do so.