Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

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Balmy
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Balmy » Wed 13 May 2009 6:05 pm

Andrew MacLean wrote:You will get used to the lenses in your specs: everything will be bent over for a bit and then your brain will adjust and things will go back to being the shape they always used to be.

All the best

Andrew


Thanks Andrew. Makes me feel a bit better!

Just for reference my presciption is:

sph cyl axis

R +0.75 -4.75 68

L -1.00 -5.00 87

Bring on Friday and my glases!

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rosemary johnson
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby rosemary johnson » Wed 13 May 2009 7:03 pm

Balmy,
Good news the GPC is improving, and that it's possible to make glasses.
Understand what you mean about things bending and ifnding the specs impossible to wear - my grafted eye is geting more astigmatic all the time, and I serious wonder with my balance problems whether I'd be able to cope with glasses that correct that much astigmatism.
Bad news about the other eye.
Definitely think you should talk to the Access to Work people - one thing that is possible is to fund you to hire a PA. In your case, you might be able to use it for, not a secretary type of Personal Assistant, but a driver to drive you wher eyou need to go if your eyes are too bad to be able to drive.
You never know, if you've got someone else driving, and you can sit in the back and keep the paperwork up to date between appointments, your boss may even find your productivity improves!!
Rosemary

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Matthew_
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Matthew_ » Sat 16 May 2009 9:05 am

You do get used to high power glasses after a while, you just need to be patient. I felt quite sick with mine to start with. The worst situation was when I had -6 power glasses lens for the left eye and a PLANO glasses lens plus -6 RGP over the right. Although both were the same power the image from the glasses was very small and the image from the RGP normal. It really messsed with your head. I was driving using the left eye for looking out of the window and the right for the speedo! :? I was glad to get high power glasses on both eyes and a low power kerasoft lens to shape the cornea on the right. :D
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Ali Akay
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Ali Akay » Sun 17 May 2009 2:21 pm

Hi Balmy

GPC is generally regarded to be an allergic reaction to build up of protein on your lenses. To be precise, its an "autoimmune response" where the protein deposits on your lenses cause a reaction under your lids resulting in large papillae, hence the term "giant papillary conjunctivitis". It can become a vicious circle as the papillae secrete mucus which then sticks onto your lenses, and causes more irritation and result in formation of more papillae! Although not wearing lenses is the best option, most patients with KC are able to control GPC without discontinuing lens wear, simply because they cant function without their lenses. The trick is to reduce your wearing time as much as possible, make sure your keep your lenses as clean as you possibly can, use surfactant cleaners and protein removing tablets religiously, and your lenses have to be replaced more frequently than normal (possibly every 3 months). The standard treatment is sodium cromoglycate (Opticrom) drops which come with a warning about not using them with contact lenses. This is due to concerns of the preservatives in the drops building up in soft lenses. There is an unpreserved version called Vividrin but is ridiculously expensive. I find using standard opticrom twice a day (one drop 15 min before you insert your lenses and the second drop after you remove them) rather than the usual 4 times a day is a good compromise. There are other drops and ointments which could be more effective, but you obviously need to discuss this with your practitioner. My advice is, if you are finding it hard not to wear your lenses, talk to your practitioner and explain to him/her that you cant function without lenses, and explore ways of controllling your GPC without giving up lens wear altogether.

Balmy
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Balmy » Fri 22 May 2009 1:19 pm

Thanks to every one with there advice.

I have never used protein tablets and didnt realise it is a cause of GPC. And one of my lenses must be over 2 years old!! I'm quite carefull what I use on them as many solutions/drops etc say not to be used with soft contacts and mine have the soft skirt around them. I will query this with the hospital. All I have ever used is a peroxide solution-currently boots own-that disinfects them overnight and is suitable for all contact types. Sounds like I should maybe doing more????

Update on my situation.

I collected my glasses on Monday ( should have been Friday :roll: ) and just wearing them the 10 mins home in the car made me feel a little sick ( I wasnt driving ) Tuesday I wore them a little around the house and did a short drive in the evening-realised then I could manage with them after a little time taken to get used to them. I found looking in mirrors, at junctions ( basically where you normally move your eyes rather than your head ) disturbing as things distorted, appeared bigger and I found it hard to judge distances.

My wife took a day off wotk on Wednesday and I wore them while working-she drove me about. The first day they didnt make me feel sick or give me a headache.

Thursday I worked from home-a lot of computer work but I wore them most of the time and for the first time I forgot I was wearing them mostly and got on really well. :D Did a short half hour drive.

Today I have been back to work as normal though a shortened day-Only an hour or so drive to my first client. After 4 hours or so my eyes where aching a bit and I have just got home now after driving home( 6 hours wear in total).

Feel very pleased how I have got used to them. Although they are far from perfect( I have lost some confidence in driving and despite the great weather I dont think I can manage with riding a motorbike wearing glasses ) I am very pleased with how its gone and feel next week I can get back to more of a normal working week. Though maybe I will work slightly shorter days and try and avoid the longer drives for now. Though Thursday I have to go to Guernsey for the day ( leave home at 5am, get home 8pm ) so that could be a little difficult. Maybe a nap on the plane there and back will help (purely to rest the eyes you understand! )...... :wink: :D

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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby GarethB » Fri 22 May 2009 2:31 pm

Power naps are apparently good for youa ccording to the article on the Chris Evans show last week :D

You are doing far better than I can manage with glasses, the distortions I get on the right eye are just too great and they make me fill sick all the time, the soft lenses I am now using (Kerasoft 3 lens in my right eye and the IC lens in my left eye) which means I don't get the GPC problems I had with my RGP lenses.

Protein just does not seem to build up on the soft silicone hydrogel material plus they are three monthly disposable, that said the right lens is about 4 months old.

With my RGP's I had to use the prtein remover at least weekly, sometimes twice a week, I don't have the typical hayfever symptoms but it was worse in the summer months.

Good to know you are making good progress, have a great trip to Guernsey.
Gareth

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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby optom » Sat 23 May 2009 8:19 pm

Balmy wrote:Thanks to every one with there advice.

I have never used protein tablets and didnt realise it is a cause of GPC. And one of my lenses must be over 2 years old!! I'm quite carefull what I use on them as many solutions/drops etc say not to be used with soft contacts and mine have the soft skirt around them. I will query this with the hospital. All I have ever used is a peroxide solution-currently boots own-that disinfects them overnight and is suitable for all contact types. Sounds like I should maybe doing more????

Update on my situation.

I collected my glasses on Monday ( should have been Friday :roll: ) and just wearing them the 10 mins home in the car made me feel a little sick ( I wasnt driving ) Tuesday I wore them a little around the house and did a short drive in the evening-realised then I could manage with them after a little time taken to get used to them. I found looking in mirrors, at junctions ( basically where you normally move your eyes rather than your head ) disturbing as things distorted, appeared bigger and I found it hard to judge distances.

My wife took a day off wotk on Wednesday and I wore them while working-she drove me about. The first day they didnt make me feel sick or give me a headache.

Thursday I worked from home-a lot of computer work but I wore them most of the time and for the first time I forgot I was wearing them mostly and got on really well. :D Did a short half hour drive.

Today I have been back to work as normal though a shortened day-Only an hour or so drive to my first client. After 4 hours or so my eyes where aching a bit and I have just got home now after driving home( 6 hours wear in total).

Feel very pleased how I have got used to them. Although they are far from perfect( I have lost some confidence in driving and despite the great weather I dont think I can manage with riding a motorbike wearing glasses ) I am very pleased with how its gone and feel next week I can get back to more of a normal working week. Though maybe I will work slightly shorter days and try and avoid the longer drives for now. Though Thursday I have to go to Guernsey for the day ( leave home at 5am, get home 8pm ) so that could be a little difficult. Maybe a nap on the plane there and back will help (purely to rest the eyes you understand! )...... :wink: :D

Hi man due to your glasses likely been a high prescription you will find it harder to look out of the edges of the lenses, in college they tell us to advise patient to become more of a head mover than an eye move, basically move ur head to view things so the eyes remain in the centre of the lenses where your best vision is likely to be. the optom should have explained that to you on pick up of the glasses. hope u understand the concept not the best at explaining

Balmy
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Balmy » Wed 12 Aug 2009 12:08 pm

An update:

I had another appointment at the hospital today. Feeling very dissapointed. :cry:

Apparently my eyes are improving but so slowly I have been advised to carry on NOT wearing lenses and to see him again in THREE MONTHS! :shock: When I asked if he could invisage a time when I could return to lenses he replied " not for a long time yet" He has promised I can try different types of lenses then but in the meantime I am stuck with my glasses.

Compared to many others, I should feel lucky I can get by with glasses. As stated before-I am just legal to drive with them but have found over the last few months I struggle in poor weather and weak light situations. I refuse to drive at night as I feel I'm not safe.

As have to drive for my job ( often long hours ) can any one advise on the legal side of me driving in poor light/night time? I am thinking ahead as autumn is fast approaching........... :roll:

Lizb
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Lizb » Wed 12 Aug 2009 12:21 pm

You have my sympaties about being contact lensless, i am also - though mine is due to extremely dry, red eyes constantly - not a good look.

What do you struggle with most when driving in poor light?

I find it very difficult to drive at night due to the glare/halo effect of car lights (head and rear) and also street lights. I find it easier to drive when driving in a lit area, but some lights are better than others. I find i get tired very quickly when driving in the dark/poor light conditions, so generally husband does the night driving.

I found (by chance) one day when had been out on the motorbike and had forgotton to take my tinted insert off the visor it was easier for me to ride at night with the tinted insert on. Hubby did wonder why i didnt stop and switch visors until i explained everthing felt clearer and i could judge distance better. How it would have sounded to a police office had i been stopped i dont know as they are very anti-tinted visors in poor light conditions or in the dark (they arent keen on some of them at any time). I do wonder if they can penalise me for it?
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Balmy
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Re: Giant papillary conjunctivitis-advice please?

Postby Balmy » Wed 12 Aug 2009 12:31 pm

Hi Liz

Its the glare/halo effect the most. I also struggle judging distance at the best of times and dont feel confident in the dark. I would class myself as a very experienced/good driver but there are limits!!!

Know what you mean about the visor thing- I always ride with a black visor and same as you-been caught out as the light starts to go. I dont think the police would understand :roll: Unfortunately due to this problem my bike has been rather neglected this year-my main bug bear.


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