Got Keratoconus, What field do you work in??

[drink]

Hey Peeps, I have keratoconus which is at a moderate stage, corrected with RGP lenses which does a pretty good job and brings my eyesight almost upto scratch.

I work in the mechanical engineering sector, working with my hands doing precision engineering working to tolerances of 0.1mm and below going into .000mm. Im doing this job with keratoconus and didnt let it get in my way. Il be having CXL or KXL (keraflex) hopefully in the next 6 or so months so i can carry on working there without any issues, after making a few arrangments with work.

Out of interest, what fields do most of you who have keratoconus work in? You can either answer in detail of your actual job role, or just the field will do.

ALSO, did any of you ever have problems with your work place due to keratoconus, or sacked or had to leave work due to keratoconus?

The more people that can answer the better, so please everyone who clicks onto this thread, dont be shy and join in .

[longhoc]

Hi there Ttuf

I work in structured investment finance products, usually on investment strategy, trading or risk management systems.

Ironically, I've found it easier to get reasonable adjustments made since my graft. Once you've had that done, there's a small deluge of documentary evidence supporting your condition and how it affects you. Scans, consultant's opinions, post-operative typical results research stats, follow-ups, prognosis assessments -- on and on. Conversely, when you're just stuggling along with "vanilla" degree Keratoconus, trying to manage everything as best you can, there's a real lack of objective information "proving" what you say. Thinking back, it was much harder before the graft and much more frustrating because it was all so subjective. Only you can see what you're seeing -- while you try to describe it as best you can, there's always that doubt in other people's minds and the usual over-simplification of "well, that's fine, you can just wear your lenses then, right ..?"

Sad to say, when it comes to "normal" people, the worse things are for you, the more inclined they are to believe what you say.

Be interesting to hear what others think ! Great question...

Cheers

Chris

[chris1972as]

Upholstery, can be dusty and dry, very difficult for me, with suffering with dry eyes as well, im at the stage where it as all become unbearable, cant live with contact lenses and cant live without them, waiting now to see what the dr sugests next week, even if i have a graft i have been told i would have to go back to contact lenses, vicious circle, sorry for groaning, well it can be tricky as i do use lots of knifes and other instruments and the lighting is poor even though they have made adjustments, then theres the sun streaking through windows

[drink]

Good response there Chris. C'mon guys and girls, whats your situation for work life and what do you think? There have been a fair few views on this thread but not many responses, start typing peeps.

At the moment in my workplace, i just tell people i have terrible eyesight and use contact lenses to rectify, and they usually go with that. Explaining what kind of vision KC gives is difficult, and like chris said 'only you can see what are seeing'. I do struggle at my work at times, but i have my ways of adapting to it. Diagnosed with KC since 14-15 and now 26years old, its got to a stage where i need to do something about it before a graft is needed, hence why i will be having Crosslinking or Keraflex done in next 6-12 months. Only reason i havent rushed into have CXL or KXL done is im still doing my research and trying to make my mind up on what would be the wiser decision to have done, but lets leave that for another topic.

Job info could be helpful for others aswell and motivate people out there with keratoconus who feel like there arent many jobs they can do. Keratoconus will limit the jobs you can do, but not as much as people would think. There is always a way around and adapting to it.

INFO on if people have had problems with work and how you cope would be very helpful for others aswell.

[drink]

Upholstery, can be dusty and dry, very difficult for me, with suffering with dry eyes as well, im at the stage where it as all become unbearable, cant live with contact lenses and cant live without them, waiting now to see what the dr sugests next week, even if i have a graft i have been told i would have to go back to contact lenses, vicious circle, sorry for groaning, well it can be tricky as i do use lots of knifes and other instruments and the lighting is poor even though they have made adjustments, then theres the sun streaking through windows

Have you had some sort of artificial tears or lubricating eye drops prescribed? sometimes fitment of lenses can effect the bearibility, i had loads of sessions before being comfortable.

Like your self, in my line of work when working with steels, specially cast iron, there can be alot of dust produced, and in some areas the fans are blowing to keep clean air circulating, in them areas when i go in, i just wear some fully sealed safety glasses, as even the wind blowing can make the contacts really unbearable, but my way of adapting to it was, to wear fully sealed goggles/safety glasses when going into them areas. Other workers might look at me weird thinking what am i wearing, but im there to get a job done, and with the goggles on, the air blowing doesnt get in the way of me doing my job.

Regarding to poor lighting in your workplace, have you tried carrying a torch with you or some sort of lamp? I carry a torch with me for reading measuring equipment, even thoh the lighting is great and normal people would read it with ease, i struggle at times, the torch comes out and it makes it much easier to read, always keep it beside me. Thats a few of my ways of adapting to the environment

[Anna Mason]

I am early retired now but worked in IT 35 hours a week in fornt of a computer screen air-conditioning killed me.
Had to have a desktop humidifier. Wont say a lot more about it just 30 years in the wrong blinking job.

[kitty kat]

i am a nursery nurse with moderate KC and I wear glasses. I have recently started a new job and just say I have a rare eye condition.

Im not very good at putting eye drops in, the drops, most of it runs down my face, came back from my break the other day and one of the children gave my a hug cause they thought I was upset, bless them.

I dont always see things clearly, computer, paper work, childrens drawings and have to look at it straight on, I just blame the lights when I cant see it, especially the computer. Also going outside to play can be a pest, when the sun shines, yes it can do in Scotland lol, but I got new glasses about a month ago with transitions and there the best money I have spent in a long time.

I love being a nursery nurse but have done different jobs previously, KC hasnt stopped me doing what I want to do in life

[dalbeath]

Run a farm, we have a large forestry project , sheep and horses.

So outside in a dirty dusty windy environment with dirty hands that are *^%$ all use when one of my piggy back lenses misbehaves on the top of a remote hill.

Left eye has no useful vision, right eye had CXL in june and is pretty good

If I had a pound for every idiot that said "Have you never thought about wearing glasses instead of lenses" I'd be a rich woman!

[Andrew MacLean]

I work in what I think is nowadays called "The third sector", a large national charity.

I have never had anything but support from my employer, and when my sight failed they stepped forward (with the JobCentre Plus team) to provide me with a computer that is easily adapted for a blind user.

Every good wish.

Andrew

[Ian Anderson]

I'm an accountant and I'm boring! (Thanks Monty Python)

Yes I'm an accountant and stare at a computer screen for far too many hours in a day, live in airconditioned office, and do numbers work all day.

I'm lucky I can get a good correction with glasses but do find that is some light, some screens etc. vision is not good. When I go to lectures etc I always sit at the front - overhead projectors and screens are best viewed by being a bit closer.

But then my near vision is pretty good. At the Opthalmologist he had me on a machine and said look at the light and tell me what you see. So I said 2.4volts 0.3 watts and read the part number off the bulb! It confused the hell out of him as he could not read it!

I sit with the computer screen about 16 inches from my nose - works for me but no doubt would not do so for others

Ian