KC and Lens help

[knowlesy59]

Hi there. Im new to the site and have been reading through the topics. Very helpful to me and thank you all.

I was told I had KC 6 years agowhen I was 17. At the time my left eye was quite bad but my right eye was pretty normal. I was given hard contact lenses to wear, increasing the wear time gradually. After 3 months I couldnt take any more and stopped wearing my lenses. The problems i had were: =

*problems getting my contacts on to my eye
*my lens would normally slip and go below my eye (which worried me a lot as it was hard to get back out)
*My eyes would be very red and I would squint slighty when i had them in
*If i walked under a heater in a shop my eyes would start streaming
*I had trouble taking the lenses out (It would be like they were sucked to my eye)

Maybe I was just a wimp as I hadnt had anything toucjing my eye before, but I couldnt carry on with wearing the lenses.

After 6 years I decided to go back to my consultant to see if my vision had gotten worse as I was finding it hard to work infront of the computer without becoming overly tired because I was concentrating too much. My right eye has now caught up to my left eye. it is not as bad but about half way there. (I dont have any data to say how bad my eyes are)

I am going back to the lens fitter next week and would just like any advice on what to ask, or if any of my problems above were because the lenses were wrong fit. Really, any advice would be grateful. I am going to try wearing lenses again and this time give it a better go.

Thanks for your time.

Rich

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Rich and welcome!
Hopefully you'll have read quite a few posts here from people who are now getting on fine with lenses, though obviously not everyone finds it easy at first. And quite often the first pair of lenses you're given aren't the ideal fit and they need 'tweaking'. 6 years on you should find that there have been improvements in lens design. Everyone is different, so only your fitter will be able to say what's best for you, but you could ask whether you'd be suitable for the latest 'soft' lenses developed for KC. And if it is going to be rgps, then do let your fitter know if the first pair give you the problems you had before. You might find using lubricating drops helps if one of the problems is your eyes drying out.
Good luck the second time round, and do come back here with more questions!
Anne

[Andrew MacLean]

knowlesy59

Welcome to the forum.

I really have nothing to add to Anne's excellent post, except to wish you well.

Andrew

[JackieL]

Hi there. Im new to the site and have been reading through the topics. Very helpful to me and thank you all.

I was told I had KC 6 years agowhen I was 17. At the time my left eye was quite bad but my right eye was pretty normal. I was given hard contact lenses to wear, increasing the wear time gradually. After 3 months I couldnt take any more and stopped wearing my lenses. The problems i had were: =

*problems getting my contacts on to my eye
*my lens would normally slip and go below my eye (which worried me a lot as it was hard to get back out)
*My eyes would be very red and I would squint slighty when i had them in
*If i walked under a heater in a shop my eyes would start streaming
*I had trouble taking the lenses out (It would be like they were sucked to my eye)

Maybe I was just a wimp as I hadnt had anything toucjing my eye before, but I couldnt carry on with wearing the lenses.

After 6 years I decided to go back to my consultant to see if my vision had gotten worse as I was finding it hard to work infront of the computer without becoming overly tired because I was concentrating too much. My right eye has now caught up to my left eye. it is not as bad but about half way there. (I dont have any data to say how bad my eyes are)

I am going back to the lens fitter next week and would just like any advice on what to ask, or if any of my problems above were because the lenses were wrong fit. Really, any advice would be grateful. I am going to try wearing lenses again and this time give it a better go.

Thanks for your time.

Rich

Hi Rich,
This is my first post on here, but I felt I had to reply to you, because I understand how you are feeling. i have been wearing contact lenses for nearly 25 years because KC in both eyes.

PLEASE, PLEASE don't give up!! I understand everything that you say - you're not a wimp at all!!
It is quite hard at first and if i have to describe all the daily little problems you get i will be here forever.
The important thing is to be determined and above all stay as CALM as possible, for example if your lens goes at the bottom of your eye you just have to push it gently up an in the centre of the eye, infact this is actually what i do when i put them in, i dont try to put them straight in the middle but drop them at the bottom and then push them gentley up.
There are millions of little tricks that you will create for dealing with your lenses but they only came with experience.
What i can reassure you is that if you stick with it you will in the end be in control.

After a few years I found I was able to wear lenses for an average of 17 hours per day (which I'm still doing, fingers tightly crossed). There are no strict rules for living with this condition and contact lenses, but the best advice I can give you is to stay as calm and relaxed as possible and not to expect that it will be easy instantly - it's something you have to get used to.

[Chris Newman]

Hi Rich

I had the same teething troubles as you did. In my case there was no option to take the lenses out - no lenses - no seeing. They did make a difference to my life.

I had them "clamping" on to the eye but found that using articial tears made things better. It can be frightening chashing a bit of blue plastic around your eye - but try to stick with it this time round -Good Luck.

[Chris Newman]

BTW - Welcome.

[chrism]

And always remember to ask about other lens types. There are a few options out there for those that aren't having good results with RGPs. Just to name a few....

Other RGP/hard types:
Rose-K
Intra-Limbal lenses (larger size RGP)
Mini-Sclarel lenses (even larger)
Sclarel lenses (larger still, sometimes a different material)

Soft Lenses:
Kerasoft3 (not in the US)

Hybrid lenses:
Synergeyes
SoftPerm
Piggy back systems (hard lens on top of soft lens)

[Andrew MacLean]

JackieL

Welcome to the forum; just noticed that you had slipped in there.

It is always a good idea to write down questions that you want to ask at a clinic. then you can tick them off as they are answered.

Andrew

[melissa]

Hi Rich,

I agree with Jackie- it is very hard getting used to the lenses, and i resisted- after trying for a few weeks i gave up- but eventually my vision deteriorated and i started seeing the RGPs as the 'miracle' that they are. I would be blind without them.
Tricks you could try:
- when inserting. put a drop of artificial tears in the lens. somehow this helps it so suck onto the eye- and i soothing. try to convince your mind that you are just putting drops in upside down. if you are not yet used to touching the centre of your eye then try jackie's system
- if they slip off the cornea- i have a few of those rubber suckers which you can buy at an optometrist. gently slide the lens around to the bottom of the eyeball and sucker it out. NO PAIN.
-to get the lens out- close left eye. look at nose with right eye and keep open. pull skin on outside of right eye so that the lids pinch together, and the lens pops out. Practice this over a large surface- like a table or bed, because it is hard to catch the lens at first, but you will get used to it.

as others have said you should ask about other types of lenses as well. Good luck

[Lynn White]

Hi Rich

There is a lot of good advice here and I will only add that professionals are there to be asked questions! If you are having problems with handling the lenses, you can be shown again how to improve your technique. If you find comfort is a major problem there are alternatives as listed above. Part of the trick is taking control of your life and not letting your KC rule YOU.

Let us know how you go on!