In answer to your question Keratocop, I dont know how much my left eye has progressed in the last couple of years. I will give some more history to explain.
- At approx 13-14 I was told i needed to wear glasses to correct short-sightedness, not required all the time just occasionally.
- At approx 15 my optician was very concerned that the sight in my left eye had dramatically reduced but couldnt find a cause, even after trying most tests - was concerned as there is a family history of glaucoma (sp?)
- At 17 told definantly wear glasses for driving and if using computer/watching tv. Otherwise could manage without - or at least a very vain 17 year old did
.
- At 20 told my optician that she thought i had KC in left eye, and got a referral upto the local eye clinic at the hospital
- Consultant confirmed that i had KC (age 21) and explained it to me, started trying CL, but only in one eye (so still needed glasses for right eye) and they were RGP. Me trying to get on with CL was nigh on impossible and as i was managing with glasses i didnt try particulary hard. Eyes still prone to ichtyness and could barely touch my eyelid let alone keep my eyes open to put a CL in that then hurt. Kept trying CL and was seen every 9-12 months to check on progression. Was by this time weaning glasses all the time except when out in town, life very blurred without glasses
- 5 years ago I moved 70miles north for a new job and got a new referral to a more local hospital. This hospital outsources CL fitting for KC to an independant optician, who i also see for my general check ups annually. Glasses prescription changing substantially on an annual basis.
- tried CL, RPG/piggy backing etc but still couldnt tolerate CL in for more than 1 hour, though was given CL for both eyes so i could see the benefit in CL just couldnt tolerate them. Gave up on CL and managed with glasses 4 years ago. Still saw a doctor in the local hospital every 12-15 months (depending on the number of cancellation letters i got) who took topographies each time. I never really bothered with what the rate of progression was, I could manage with glasses and my right eye did all the work
- 3-4 years ago optician on general check up told me it was pointless having a prescription in the left lens of my glasses as i would just be walking into things constantly
so went onto a balance lens for the left and prescription with the right - small changes each year.
- started to get fed up with glasses when out on the motorbike 2 years ago, so looked into the options for KC to see what had developed over time, and spoke to a useless registrar (no ideas about intacs or the developing option of CXL) so ended up back with my CL fitter who said that she had a new type of lens to her that may work for me. This was synergise lenses. got fitted with them, and converted to preservative free solutions, which worked and i was able to wear lenses for 5-7 hours a day in work and 9-12 out of work. Great i thought, can manage this.
- Last October/November i had a number of problems with my right eye - yep the one that does work and i thought the one without KC - and ended up at the local eye causulty. Doc who saw me turned round and said something about the KC in my right eye must have progressed and the CL must have been rubbing it - my response was what KC? Got me an appointment a week later in clinic and had it confirmed. It had been on the previous topography but no-one thought to tell me about it.
I thought i had been lucky in only getting KC in the one eye until last autumn as well
From my story above my belief is that my KC in the left eye has progressed continually since diagnosis, but i need confirmation (next time i get to the hospital and they dont cancell my appointment again I hope) as to the rate of progression since 2004 (only had electronic topographys done regularly at my current hospital), and also the rate of progression in my right eye since it has been showing up. ]
I believe that the KC in my right eye has been there for a couple of years now, but I have been able to cope/manage with glasses - everyone just believing my vision was deteriorating.
I also suspect that i started with KC in my left eye at an earlier age but the optician didnt know what was wrong whilst i was a teenager. The opticians i went to as a child/teenager was the same one as where my KC got picked up but i got seen by the new girl to the practice who had previously worked at Birmingham Eye Hospital so was aware of the condition. I suspect it wasnt something the previous optician had ever seen, or didnt know what it was.
If you got to the end well done, I apologise didnt realise quite how much i had written
but i hope that answers some questions.
