UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

hello all
i am austalian and dont know of any forums etc here so have come to u guys, are there any other aussies in here?
i am 38, female and have know about my corneas since 1988, i was a art student at the time and was told i would make it big by teachers and people from out side of the college,,i can do very little art now, well what a disappointment, now i have several other health issues and struggle from day to day, in a number of ways,
i still wear glasses when i can they r very strong and give me head aches, i was unsuccessful with contacts, i plod along from to day. i still have a drivers license as long as i wear the glasses, though i only drive when confident,
i am married with no children (heaps of pets though)
i am hopeing to meet some people with similar issues, i dont know of any one else with KC and have never discussed it any one besides my docs, so now i have found u guys maybe this will change,
thanks all and b back soon
popeye

popeye

Welcome to the forum! There are other Australians here, and I hope that they willmake themselves known to you in the forum. You can find them by watching for their Avatars (an odd use of a Sanskrit word; here we use it to mean the little flags by which we proclaim our national identity ).

I am sorry to hear that your keratoconus has meant that you have had to miss out on so much; not least an artistic career. My daughter is a professional flautist and my son's partner is a "fine art" graduate who does splendid work. I cannot think what it would mean to either of them to be told their art would have no part in their lives. I keep thinking of Milton's poem on his blindness (by the way I think that there are strong circumstantial indicators that Milton had Keratoconus!)

WHEN I consider how my light is spent
E're half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide,
Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, least he returning chide,
Doth God exact day-labour, light deny'd,
I fondly ask; But patience to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts, who best
Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o're Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and waite.

Anyway, welcome to the forum.

Andrew

Hi Popeye and welcome!
I don't know where our other Australian members have disappeared to recently - let's hope you make them reappear! Did you know that there is a Keratoconus Assocociation in Australia? You'll find it at http://www.keratoconus.asn.au
You don't say how long it is since you gave up on lenses, but in the UK there are quite a few different lens options for KC these days, plus new options such as Intacs (implanted corneal rings to flatten the cornea) and collagen crosslinking both of which are becoming available in Australia. So it might be worth your while to find out whether you do have new options in Australia which might make your life easier.
All the best
Anne

Hi popeye,

Welcome- I am a saffa. Had KC since about 1999 when i was living in London. I am now 5 weeks post graft (full PK)in right eye, and wearing piggybacks in left. this website has really helped me get through the past 3 months which have been trying at times. hope we can help.
Melissa

Hi Popeye

I'm for Brisbane, welcome! Sorry to hear you are having trouble with lens wear. I have worn sclerals for the last 6 years and they gave me a new lease of life. There are many more options nowadays for us KC'ers

We do have a Keratoconus Australia site, but unfortunately it doesn't have a forum like this one.

Take care.

thanks every one,
none of these things except for contacts have been discussed with me by my doc, i will have to ask him, i did find the au site but as some one said, there is no forum,
i have it in both eyes but the left is a lot worse than the right, its been a long time since i had the contacts, i would rather try another avenue than them, now i know its available,
to those other aussies i live in albury/wodonga,
thanks again
popeye