UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi,

I hand my left eye graft done in april this year. I attended my routine outpatient appointment yesterday and seen another doctor who is not the consultant and he says that they will look at fitting me with glasses in 6 weeks or so. My question I guess is, is this normal ? I was under the impression that I would be fitted for contact lenses when I come off my medication and the sutures were removed. Is this what happens or is this a sign of better or worse results from the graft than expected ?

I know I should have asked but I was actually on the way home before it dawned on me what he had said.

Warmest regards.

Paul

Hi
I had a graft in May this year. They started to send me for refractive test end of August. As a result of the first one I had to have the stitches adjusted under a General a couple of weeks ago. Back on the 12th December for more test. Vision is better close up but nothing to write home about. If they think they can do your correction with glasses I would say its a very positive sign.

All the best
Ian

Thanks for your reply and the info in it.

I'm kicking myself for not asking but had a few things to do that day. I guess I'll just need to wait and see what they have planned. Was it your choice to get a GA for the removal of your stitches? I think my consultant said that my sutures would be removed in theatre but that I would be awake.

Thanks again.

Paul

It was and I quote "easier for them and they get better results under a GA" . Because the sutures were tight across the horizontal axis there was high astigmatism so some "adjustment" was required . To be honest I was in a lot of pain for 24 hours after and the eye was very bloodshot. There was a guy next to me and he had is done under a local and walked out happy as Larry

Hoping that the next refractive test will give better results with the "glasses" thingie they use.

Ian

Hi Ian,

Thanks again for the info. I guess I'll just need to wait and see what they have in mind. My appointment isn't until early January so I'll let you know.

Warmest regards.

Paul

P.S Can mods please remove the duplicate post that I have somehow managed to do. Ta

Having to think back a while now as my grafts are over 20 yeasr old now.

It was about six months post op before I had a glasses fitting for the grafted eye with minor changes in prescription when sutures were removed every now and then to control/reduce the astigmatism through the healing process.

As far as I am aware it is pretty 50:50 between those only needing glases and those needing contacts post op. For the first 5 years post op, I needed glasses and the prescription got less nd less until I had no need for glasses at all for about 6 - 7 years. Then I gradually needed glasses again which I wore for about 5 or 6 and now I a have been back on contact lenses since 2004.

So no need to worry as nothing out of the orinary for you so far. What I would say from personal experience, avoid the use of contact lenses for as long as possible, glasses are far more convenient and cheaper to look after.

Hi
That they are offering you glasses is a good sign. I was told to try to stay away from lenses on my grafted eye if possible.
Having stitches out is a tough one. I had it done in the chair with local anaesthetic drops and it wasn't painful but was very uncomfortable and took a lot of patience and quite a few 'emotional moments'. but when it was done i walked out and had a relatively sore eye for a few days but none of the side effects of GA.... i can honestly say i wouldn't look forward to going through that again but i still wouldn't choose GA.... everyone is different though....

I think it is overall a good thing and it does take time. I now have glasses and a piggy back system over the right eye, the left eye is grafted and has no lenses, just glasses. My prescription has changed so much of late that I would have to disagree with Gareth on glasses being cheaper, new lenses are about £50 through the NHS and glasses lenses are hundreds of pounds. But I think either way, its great to be able to see. At your stage, it seems to take so long but hang on in there, before you know it you will hopefully have stable vision either way!

Well I had the refractive test on Monday. After a lot of jiggling around with different lenses we managed to get five lines on the chart but the 5 th was a struggle. Looking round the fitting room most things looked clear, chairs, wall plugs, pc on the opposite side of the room etc. Great improvement as we couldn't get anything last time so the pain of the suture adjustment was worth it. The consultant said the "numbers look good". He then went on to tell me the pressure was still to high so that took me by total surprise and I lost my thread so didn't get a definition of good actually is. They have taken me off Dexa... and put me on a Vexol plus a third pressure drop. Got to go back on Monday for it to be tested again so will ask then what the numbers are and what the next step is.

Ian