Cornea graft - please help

[crakerjacker]

Hi

I have recently been informed that i need a cornea graft in my right eye as the KC is so bad. I have searched the internet and feel i know a lot about the actual procedure and operation itself but was hoping i would be able to get in touch with people who have had the operation themselves to ask them how it went for them and what happens post operation. I am debating at the moment whether to proceed with the operation as i have been told that there is a 1 in 1000 chance of losing my sight and possibly my eye altogether.

Please can anyone that has had a cornea graft get in touch and inform me of how it went for them, did it work? is their sight a lot better? etc. Has anyone suffered an infection as this is my main concern. My consultant, james ball, says he will try a lamellar graft initially and will do a penetrating one if this isn't possible during the operation.

Please get in touch as soon as i need to make my decision asap. Thanks

[pauline collins]

Hi there and welcome to the site. I myself have not had a cornea graft but there are numerous members who have so I am sure they will be able to respond and give you some assurance, There are a number of posts already in the discussion forum that you may find of interest and help you with your desicion.
Best of luck and i will watch the responses with interest as I too will no doubt require one in the not too distant future.

Take care
Pauline

[pauline collins]

Hi again, i found these in the Frequently Asked Questions' there are lots of others so worth a look.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1262

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1261

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1260

[GarethB]

The question I asked my self was;

What have I got to loose by going through with the operation?

For me the KC was so bad that loosing sight completly would make no difference and as that was remote and the prospect of good vision corrected or otherwise was so high it meant actually I had everything to gain.

That was 20 and 19 years ago, had the transpalnt in both eyes and they are the healthiest part of the cornea. The cornea I am left with is the part that is suffering but technology has moved on so far that is being managed very well and I enjoy life to the full.

[crakerjacker]

Thanks Pauline and GarethB. Any further information is greatly appreciated

[Anne Klepacz]

My grafts were 22 and 20 years ago. This was before the days of partial grafts, so both were full grafts. By the time I was offered grafts, I really didn't have to think about whether it was the right thing for me - my vision with contact lenses was awful, they were painful to wear and I was getting limited wear time. So life was grim! My sight unaided post grafts isn't that much better than it was before the grafts - BUT with contact lenses the vision is very good and the lenses are comfortable. So even though I had a few problems along the way (eg rejection episodes) for me it was worth it. How quickly there is an improvement in vision post graft varies a lot - with the first graft I didn't see any benefit until I could wear a contact lens in that eye again, with the second, the vision was noticeably better after a few months. I went back to work 3 wks after each operation - some people go back sooner, others take more time off.
Do come back with more questions, and good luck with whatever you decide!
Anne

[crakerjacker]

Thanks Anne

What happens during rejection/infection? How is it treated?

[Anne Klepacz]

Chances of rejection are much lower with the lamellar (partial) graft. Treatment is the same for both types though - increased doses of steroid drops, which successfully reverses the rejection in the vast majority of cases. The important thing is to seek treatment promptly - so with any sudden changes post graft such as redness, pain, deterioration in vision don't be afraid to go to A&E or contact the ward. Even if it proves to be a false alarm, it's better to be safe than sorry!
Anne

[crakerjacker]

How long to grafts last?

[Anne Klepacz]

Hopefully a lifetime! We have several members with grafts 30+ year old. And a couple who have had successful regrafts 25 or 30 years down the line. I'm hoping to hang on to mine until I pop my clogs.
Anne