UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi Everyone,
Has anyone tried mini scleral lenses and what do you think of them ? I tried one on and I thought they were great (after trying many lenses). I am waiting for one (may-be two, later) that is being made at the moment.

I think they bridge the gap between the comfort and great vision of the regular sized sclearal lenses and the need of the wearer not to feel they are freaks, wearing such a large lens.

Changing the topic a bit, I think the reason KC-ers are trying to think about grafts and other proceedures is because they very well know that "sooner or later" there will be a point in their life's, when they get old and will not be able to handle (inserting and taking them out of your eye for example) contact lenses as a way of correcting their vision (what happens then ?). This is particularly a problem when contact lenses are the best way (and the mainstream way) to correct your vision.

So I do not think we should "knock" someone who wants to try other ways of correcting their KC (for example, when people say that they think corneal grafts are better then contact lenses), because there are other reasons (which for them out-weigh the great vision you get with lenses).

I think it is the ageing question which makes people want other treatments and bring new treatments to the forefront and not because they can not except they have KC.

Thanks

Sajeev

Keep you head up !!!

I just read an excellent article at this site. it picks up some recent topics on this group, and addresses some of the points Sajeev was just making.
http://kcenter.org/spotlight/corneal_transplant.html

Hi Sajeev,

I'm not sure I completely agree with one of your comments. Many people wear sclerals AFTER they have had a graft (I think that KC patients post-graft are the largest group of scleral lens wearers).

Personally, I have a scleral in my left eye, which is (I think) legally blind without the scleral; and glasses over a graft in the right eye. I hope to have a scleral for that eye too some day, as I'm beginning to have trouble with glasses.

There's no doubt in my mind that I have the best sight possible right now because I had the graft. But the graft itself has risks and it is very important to remember that a graft is often not a cure in itself.

Hi John and Andrew,

Thnaks for your reply and input.

Yes, it is true that a good percentage post-graph KC-ers wear contact lenses. I think that this only just goes to show that people are willing to take that one chance that may FREE them-selfs from the tunnel of wearing these "god forsaken" contact lenses, until we are so old that we can not handle them anymore (sorry to be so blunt but I think there is many who feel the same way and it should be expressed at least once, by someone).

I don't know if it is just me but I think in this day and age when there is a good pecentage of KC-ers getting good vision with new treatments in other countries that some of us should not have to suffer needlessly due to the "feet dragging" done by others (Non-KC-ers).

Any comments welcome and keep your head up !!!

P.S. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fish oils has improved my clarity of vision a little,(every bit helps !!!)....need I say anymore!!!

Regards

Sajeev

Hi Sajeev,
I have started the Omega 3 and 6 this week so I can report back as the latest Guinea pig!

John Smith wrote:Many people wear sclerals AFTER they have had a graft (I think that KC patients post-graft are the largest group of scleral lens wearers).

And other types of lens too, not just sclerals. In fact, most people with KC who've had a graft end up wearing a lens of some sort in the grafted eye.

The other group of people who tend to wear scleral lenses are people who've had cataract operations - who will tend to be older folks because cataracts tend to happen as one gets older.

AIUI, the main reasons for grafting are 1. when the vision can no longer be corrected satisfactorily by lenses alone (definitions of satisfactory vary!); and 2. when the cornea gets blood vessels encroaching on it enough that if it weren't grafted soon it would become hard-to-impossible to graft it ever.

Rosemary

--
Rosemary F. Johnson

We was talking about something slightly different in when it came to having a graph and not when medical issues dictate things (which is obvious !!!).

i have just found out that i have KC and i have starrted to wear hard contacts and they hurt and water a bit when you take the lenses out does the vision go blured

i have lost a lens which is annoying because i have to wait for the lens to be made and then sent to me so i am walkin around half blind can i wear one lens or would it effect the other eye

Thank you x :wink:

Hi sajeev,
I feel a lot of people look into grafts because they think of it as a cure, it is not but it does help some who can not manage with lenses, at this time my lenses are comfortable and I can wear them forever (typically about 17 hours a day) so I wouldn't consider a graft unless that changed, hopefully some new treatments will develop and we will all be helped!

Hello Tim........Good to see you on here!