When should there be improvement if any?

[Alice Blue]

Just thought I would ask as my husband is now 6 months post-op. Full graft.

The consultant still can't get a satisfactory reading or provide a prescription for his grafted eye.

Is this likely to change once the stitches are removed? For better or worse?

As his vision stands at the moment he doesn't think he could manage if his other - deteriorating eye gets worse.

Is there any hope for this graft?

Alice

[jayuk]

Alice

Yes, there is.....your consultant should have made this clear..not to expect stable vision at least 12 months post operation.

I would suspect that your husband has asitgmatism on his operative eye hence his inadequate pre/post corrective vision.

Each time a stich is removed, vision WILL change. Whether thats good or bad, NOONE can say...but if you are in safe hands than they should take stiches out based on a topography so that they can control the astigmatism.

But do bear in mind that more than likely your husband will need Glasses; or in majority of the cases, Contact Lenses.....whether there Hard or soft is difficult to say.

Dont give up hope....patience really is the key with the recovery period...

[Rob Armstrong]

My vision can still be different everyday, and I had the graft done over 2 and a half years ago!

Still got most of the stitches though, so maybe that's a factor - although no-one at the hospital seems to know why things haven't settled down yet.

They tried me with glasses a year ago, but each occassion by the time I got them my prescription had changed! Bit annoying, but luckily I can cope most of the time with unaided vision.

Moral of the story: things will keep changing for a good while yet - hopefully for the better.

Rob.

[GarethB]

Hi Alice,

I tink it is about 1 in 5 KC people need grafts and on;ly 1 in 10 need grafts in both eyes.

As the others have said, glasses may not be suitable until the graft settles and as there are three layers to the cornea, all need to stabalise. It was not until I had all my stitches out 18 months post graft that the eye realy stabalised. It also depend on how the grafts was stiched, some use two continuous running stitches which make it hard to control astigmatism for during the healing process. Where the stitches are indiviual, like I had, then astigmatism can be controlled more during the healing process.

As far as a surgeon is concened, a succesful graft is ne that heals and remains clear, visual aquity rarly comes into it. For me a successful graft was when I could see with glasses.

Unfortunatly as the others have written, your H is still relativly early in the healing process.

Hang in there, you have both done great and I am sure you will continue.

[Janet Manning]

Hi Alice,
After my grafts I could no longer tolerate corneal lenses and my unaided vision is worse. Glasses do very little for me. However scleral lenses are wonderful - great correction and tolerance. Maybe your h could ask aboiut trying these.
Good luck, Janet

[Andrew MacLean]

Yup, I concur with the other posts.

I was a bit impatient after my surgery. I had the secret prejudice that I ought to be able to walk out of the hospital and see clearly again. This was, to be honest, in the face of the surgeon's warning that recovery could take around two years!

Still well within that time, I have now had all the stitches removed, and they hope to be able to fit a lens next month, so that I have every prospect of being able to see again. they will then think about grafting into my other eye.

The trick here is not to be too impatient, and to recognize that healing will take time. Your husband'w work ought to be able to accommodate to his handicap.