Cornea Graft

[cheryl74]

Hello Everyone

I am going to have a partial cornea graft in feb this year. i am quite worried about the operation and after care. My consultant informs me I can return to work 1 week afterwards. Can anybody who has been through a craft advice me on this and offer me words of wisdom.
Cheers
chi

[Andrew MacLean]

Hello Cheryl and welcome to the forum.

I have had two grafts; a full thickness graft in my right eye and a partial thickness in my left.

I guess a week or two woulb be enough time to be off work after a DLK (partial) graft , but don't expect to have perfect vision the moment you wake up! Your graft will need to 'heal' onto your own tissue. It may be a year or more before they take your sutures out but, if your eye heals as well as mine you can expect to recover very good vision in time.

All the best.

Andrew

[crakerjacker]

HI

I had a partial graft and was off work for 5 weeks. It depends what you do for a job and also how you are after the graft. My work involved computer work all the time and I was very sensitive to light after my graft and struggled with the computer so was off for 5 weeks.

All the best for the graft and let us know how it goes.

http://www.mycorneatransplant.blogspot.com

[cheryl35]

Hi

I Just wanted to say a big a big thank you to Andrew for your advice it is so nice to be able to communicate with people who have the same condition. It is reassuring to here that you have had both eyes done and you lived to tell the tale! Johnny I loved your blog. You had your graft under a local anaesthetic you must be bonkers! Ten out of ten for bravery and a gold star for you. I did not get offered that option and the thought of it totally freaks me out. I feel alot more calm now and I am now aware of the stages of healing.

Thanks once again guys.

Chi

[Loopy-Lou]

wishing you every success

[crakerjacker]

I thought I was bonkers too! I knew I was in good hands though and was an experience that I like freaking people out with. hehe

[cleo500]

I am going to pay for this computer time but have been getting very frustrated with regard to information about being light sensitive post graft that I have risked the headaches to register on the sight for feedback and so I thank you so much CRACKERJACK for you input and perspective
.
Have had Keratoconus for 20+ years and lost sight in one eye twice due to hydrops so anyone reading please take this into account. Had a partial graft in right eye under general with no problem at all, extremely pleased with result so should be grateful but have gradually become very light sensitive, stay indoors and wear dark glasses (as recommended)if venture out. You are right, I understand that depends on your work I use computers and in reception so open to direct sunlight so did not last a week on my return to work and computers give me great pain so I will pay for this. I appreciate everyone is different, a major op, healing processeses. etc but have had no real feedback as to if this is normal from experts which is compounding the situtation as I need to give my boss a time frame as to my return. THANK YOU SO MUCH CRAKERJACK I will be forever grateful I at least have a benchmark and do not feel so anxious.

[Andrew MacLean]

Hello Cleo, and welcome to the forum. You didn't mention how long it has been since your DALK, and I wonder whether your light sensitivity is just part of the healing process or something of longer standing?

As to computer screens, can you change your configuration so that, instead of seeing black text on a bright background, you can have text presented as pale text on a dark background (yellow-on-blue is my favourite).

That change alone could make a significant difference to your working life and your home computer use, and along with dark glasses may even make a contribution to getting you back to a normal(ish) lifestyle.

Every good wish

Andrew

[Cobbler]

I had a dalk corneal transplant on Mon 1st of Feb. I had quite a bit of pain and swelling the first few days. At one week I had dull pain and itching and a slightly swollen eyelid. Whether you go back to work after a week depends on your job. Don't expect much vision out of your operated eye. Most likely you won't be able to read a computer screen with it. I can only see the big letter on the snellen chart right now. Also I the surgeon has told me not to lift anything over 7kg. If you want to read more about my op and experiences go
to http://dalktransplant.blogspot.com/

Wishing you all the best with your surgery.

[janice]

i had my corneal graft just over 4 weeks ago and im still off work,partly because of my job(im an assistant cook in a school).i was told i could be off for up to 12 mths