UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello all,

I have recently been diagnosed with KC and have been browsing through some of the posts and just wanted to ask a few questions....

I am 29 and have noticed that I have had poor eyesight in my right eye for the past 10 years. However up until recently the opticians have always put my poor eye sight down to a scar on my cornea, which I got from a baseball cap being thrown at me when I was a kid (about 14). On this basis it was pointless me wearing glasses or lenses as they would not assist my sight through the scar so to speak.

As I had noticed my eyesight had got worse over the past couple of months I decided to book an appointment with the opticians and was diagnosed with KC.

My left eye has still got near perfect vision and certainly compensates when I have both eyes open and has not shown any signs of KC.

Is likely that the trauma to my eye has caused the KC?

Is it likely that the opticians have wrongly diagnosed my scar to have caused my poor vision over the past 10 years? To be fair, I have not been going to the opticians too often, in fact my last visit was probably 3-4 years ago. In all honesty I do recall my vision being slightly affected when I first got the injury to my eye at the age of 14 but my sight has progressively got worse since I was about 20.

Since the optician visit I have been to my GP (who sent me the details for this website) and I am now awaiting my appointment with the consultant. I recently cancelled my Bupa, Doe!! Is it worth me paying to go private at this stage or wait for the NHS?

I don't know if it's just paranoia but since being told about KC, I think the bad eye is actually getting worse. Is this likely?

Given the fact that the cornea is scared and has now developed KC, is it likely I will need a graft? As I would guess a lens or glasses will still not compensate for the scar?

Is KC likely to affect my other eye?

I currently work in Sales and travel all over the UK is it likely KC will prevent me from driving at some point in the future?

On a final note, I would also like to say what a good idea this forum is and although initially I was a little concerned there was actually a support group for KC, there is certainly comfort in being able to communicate with people who are in a similar boat to me.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

Hi Paul

Well you have definately come to the right place if ineed you have been diagnosed with KC in any form!.

To answer your questions

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Is likely that the trauma to my eye has caused the KC?

Highly unlikely, based on existing evidence on the causes of KC. However its impossible to rule it out completely. However KC is largely genetic and thus needs a trigger / stimlus to actually set it off.

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Is it likely that the opticians have wrongly diagnosed my scar to have caused my poor vision over the past 10 years?

Impossible to say!.How many times did you see them in the past ten years?. Early stages of KC is hard to pick up and is generally reffered to as mild Astigamtism.

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Is it worth me paying to go private at this stage or wait for the NHS?

To be honesty, and this is from MY experience, early stages of KC can be easily managed on the usual NHS system. Its only when things get advanced and you require faster/quicker visits and things generally tend to fall down abit. However, from what you have said, its really hard to say. If it is a scar than the Consultant will tell you if its possible to remove it (via a day care procedure which is now available in the UK) or if its deep than you have very little option but a graft. Have you tried a lens in that eye?....is the ghosting/distortion bad? Is the scar central?..
f your company do provide PMI than its worth getting seen by a Optham anyway....just for your own peace of mind.

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I think the bad eye is actually getting worse. Is this likely?

If it IS KC than noone can actually say how it will progress, IF at all. However it can progress extremely fast, or it can stay the same for ever!

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Given the fact that the cornea is scared and has now developed KC, is it likely I will need a graft? As I would guess a lens or glasses will still not compensate for the scar?

Indeed, as mentioned earlier...it depends on WHERE and HOW DEEP the scar is. There is a new procedure out which basically takes the initial layer of the cornea off and thus can remove the scar....however this all depends on how deep the scar is.

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Is KC likely to affect my other eye?

In majority of cases KC does affect both eyes, but progression is very different; if at all..however do bear in mind that in majority of cases it has affected both eyes..

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I currently work in Sales and travel all over the UK is it likely KC will prevent me from driving at some point in the future?

If you can see, and can drive than NO. KC only starts affecting you when you cannot get adequate vision with lenses, or your are lens intolerant. Thats the early stages anyway. If you get yourself a good lens fitter, and keep tabs on the KC progression there is NO REASON why you cannot lead your existing life style.

The fact that you have "near perfect" vision puts you in a very favourible position IF you need a graft..as you will still be able to see...and remember..we can get by with ONE eye..and in fact 85% of our vision can be obtained from a single eye!....

Hope that helps!

J

Hi Paul, and welcome to the forums.
I don't know, about your questions regarding the scarring. I suppoes it's possibly the injury was a trigger factor that set off the KC, but really the field of trigger factors is not full known about.
Some peple do have KC in one eye only, and it stays in one eye only, though they are a minority. SO you may be lucky..... time aolone will tell.
As regards your bad eye seemed to get worse - well, it's possible the KC is worsening very fast. Is it also possible that, having found out about the KC, you are much more "sensitised" to it, mentally I mean, so are noticing problems that you didn't take any notice of before?
As for travelling in your job (or for other reasons) there's no reason you shouldn't go on travelling about. It *may* be that your eyesight stay good evnough to drive for ever, or it may get to the stage where you can't any more. If that does happen, please, please think safety first! It's better to get the train than have an accident.
Rosemary

It is perfectly legal to drive with one eye, but you do have a legal obligation to notify the DVLA of sight problems such as KC. There is a form you can download from the VDLA web site.

I am currently down to one eye, but as I get 20/20 corrected in my left eye I am fine.

I do howeve check on a regular basis that I can see a number plate at 20m.

Thanks for your replies. You have certainly answered a lot of my questions. I will let you all know how I get on when I visit the consultant.

Thanks again,

Paul