UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

What I wanted to know was if it was possible to have laser teatment afte a graft, so that it can be smoothed out To avoid the use of contact lenses after the graft has been done(there should be enough thickness for it ?)

You guys might be interested in the following web-site
http://keratoconus.com. This sight has some interesting facts about new options.

Take Care and keep you head up.

Sajeev,
My brother had a graft followed by Laser treatment and has very good vision.

Hi Anna,
Your post was very interesting. Can you tell us more, please, about your brother having laser treatment after he had his graft. Can you tell us the following:-

1) Was it his idea or did his eye care specialist want to do it ?

2) Did he do it privately or was it done on the NHS (and which hospital) ?

3 How long has he had the graft for and how long after that did he have the laser treatment.

4) What type of laser treatment was it (Lasik or PRK) ?

5) How good is his vision now (does he wear any specticals at all) ?

Sorry for all these quetions but I am on a learning curve due to your very interesting reply message.

Regards

Sajeev

P.S. GREAT NEW MESSAGE BOARD, WELL DONE JOHN !!!

Good Grief Sajeev you dont get out much your always on here posting messages! The number of posts you put on this board. I dont know the answers to all your questions but I will try and get some answers from my brother.

1) His Consultant referred him
2) It was done at Moorfields
3) Cant remember will ask
4) Dont Know
5) He doesnt wear Spectacles and he cant get a contact lens to fit it. His other eye has KC and he wears a corneal RGP.

GREAT Message Board and hoorah its easy to Read!!

So, do you want to take me out then ? (only joking)

I thought your brother did not need more correction to his vision after he had the lase teatment

Regard

Hi Sajeev,
I am told by my Optwhatever you call him that my brother has some of the best results he has seen with a graft.

Me take you out huh Im ancient and my nickname in the office is Annatollah (oh and swampwoman because I have a humidifier by my desk)

Hi Anna,
On my first post on this topic I posted aweb-site run by a well know keratoconus specialst who has used laser post-graft on patients with great results, (many patients not needing anymore correction to their vision and many others only needing glasses).

Sajeev asks if lasik is successful after corneal tranplantation. In short, yes, it appears to be a reasonable option. There is no long term information about lasik, either for normal corneas, or for post transplant, but the general consensus among surgeons involved with lasik is that there is no obvious reason to worry unduly at this stage.

Lasik for normally occurring myopia on healthy corneas has been shown to generate results which are predictable enough to continue its application when desired. There is the odd complication here and there, as with any surgical procedure, and there are some people who wish they had not had it done, as would be expected. There have been a few transplants carried out consequent to a very bad result of lasik on normal eyes.

The decision making process is quite different from that required for lasik on the normal eye. The numbers are considerably less post transplant, but thus far, as with the normal unoperated cornea, the results are also encouraging enough to continue application when appropriate. The possible complications of lasik post corneal transplant are insignificant compared to the possible complications of the transplant itself. The reason for lasik after a transplant is usually an attempt to improve seriously compromised post surgical vision. The probable worst case outcome is that another transplant may be necessary, but it is also possible that the same option may have been looming without the lasik.

Contact lenses are not without their problems post transplant, and are quite difficult to fit at times. Some spectacle corrections are not tolerable, so correcting optical errors after transplants remains a problem area. Lasik may improve the refractive error sufficiently to enable a good result with spectacles, so contact lenses may not be necessary.

To summarise with post transplant lasik:
1. Try spectacle correction.
2. Try contact lenses.
3. Talk to your surgeon about the prospects of lasik if the first two options are not working out.

Ken Pullum
March 2004

Thanks Ken for your post.