UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Suffering a bit at the moment...anyone else had this??

After 6 or so years with very few problems with my RGP hybrid thingy lenses, in the last 3 weeks I've had awful pain in my eyes, dreadful headaches and an inability to wear the damn things.

Came to a head when I was at work on Monday with a banging headache, feeling sick...suddenly realised this was ridiculous, went home and got an emergency appt with Opthamologist. Saw a different lady from usual, but she filled me with confidence. After a carful and slow examination, she said she thought it was inflamation of the inside of the eyelids...which all makes senses really. Apparently my eyes looked fine (thank God) but my eyelids looked awful.

She told me to take my lenses out (for 2 weeks - ha) use drops which I cannot remember the name of and just rest them. Apparently the drops do something to soothe the lids.

Anyway, we agreed on 2 days of no lenses (well it was nice in the garden at home ), work for 2 days and then no lenses for the weekend, and then see how I went.

Well I'm back at work today - things are much better, but I still want to get home and take them out again in case it all flares up again....has anyone else had this, if so how did you get on and did things get back to normal again???

Any tips would be welcome too.


PS - Have an appt with my normal Optho' on weds mornign to consider lens choice going forwards...

I get this from time to time: usually a course of chloramphenicol clears it up.
It has been a long time since my past episode. Here is what I do to keep it away.
1 I always make sure that my eyes are not too dry. To this end I liberally apply preservative free artificial tears. I use Clinitas Soothe during the day and Clinitas Hydrate when I am getting ready to retire for the night.
2 I use an 'eye bag' before going to bed. This is a velvet covered pouch that contains linseed. I put it in the microwave and then lie down with this across my eyes for five minutes or so: the effect of this is to keep my tear ducts clear so that when I am asleep my eyes are well bathed in both artificial and my own natural tears. (If you can't get hold of an eyebag, I guess a hot - but not too hot - face flannel would do.)
3 If my eyelids are very irritated, I use a cotton bud dipped in boiled (but cooled) water with a tiny drop of baby shampoo. With this I swab the rim of my eyelids. This feels a bit peculiar, but is not sore or even uncomfortable.

All the best

Andrew

Hi Andrew

Chloramphenicol - yes that's the stuff...seems to be doing a good job.

That's quite a routine you have there...I'll try to adopt some of it though...many thanks.

Can I just ask...when you have this issue (pleased to hear not for some time) does it give you headaches and or neck-ache??

Paul

The full nine yards: I think that the ache comes from trying to compensate for the irritation in my eyes. I really do begin to hope that I have this cracked now: the routine isn't all that difficult to follow, it is just a question of making it part of what you do.

Andrew

Well I'm sorry to hear you have suffered but very reassured it's not just me.

Thanks Andrew.

Towards the end of wearing RGP lenses, I was getting this alot, partly due to dry eyes aswell. This meant wearing lenses was really uncomfortable, often 4 hours was the maximum and I'd have to leave the lenses out until the next day before I could try again. After having to be seen monthly to make sure this wasn't causing a problem with my grafts and throughout the year I would need a visit to eye casualty it all got very frustrating. When it got to the point that after leaving lenses out for a week and then still having 4 hours wear I decided enough was enough.

That is when I started to get properly fitted up with soft lenses and now after over 18 months of soft lens use, I wear lenses all my waking hours and now go anually for routine checks it has really given me my life back. The comfort is unbelievable in that there have been many occassions that I forget that I have lenses in and the level of vision i have with my Kerasoft IC lenses is superior to my RGP's. With RGP's I could get 6/6 which is excellent I know, but with the soft lenses I get an extra two lines further down the chart.

Back in March I was asked if I would ever go back to RGP lenses and without thinking I said never, I'd rather be partially sighted. I was surprised when other Kerasoft IC wearers said exactly the same. I am now of the belief that if soft lenses stopped working for me, I'd rather adapt to life as a partially sighted person.

I shall raise the idea of Kerasoft IC lenses when I have my appointment on Wednesday....many thanks