UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hello,

I underwent a cross-linking procedure last week which mostly went ok - the pain has gone and the eye has more or less healed.

However, it's been indicated to me by my consultant that I might have a corneal haze over the eye. My vision is very blurred and hasn't improved at all in the last few days. Now, I feel a bit annoyed about this as I don't feel I was given much information about a potential corneal haze side-effect before I had the procedure, but now I've been told that it is actually quite common and can take months to recover properly. I had previously been told that I'd only need 7-10 days off work.

Has anyone got experience of this? I really don't know whether this is a 'corneal haze' or if it's still just normal 'blurring' after the operation. But given it's now been over a week since the procedure was done I would have thought the blurring would have died down a bit, which it hasn't.

I'm worried that after thinking I'd only need a week or two to recover from a cxl procedure, it's now actually going to take several months.

Hi James

Haze is very common after CXL as it is part of the natural process of the procedure. If you had no haze at all, it would not be working.

Obviously you were not expecting this level of blurring and it is impossible to say, via a forum, whether what you are experiencing is normal or not.

You really do need to contact your surgeon to double check on this and he will also be able to advise if you need more time off work.

Lynn

Thanks lynn.

Is there a usual time length when this haze should generally go? Looking around on the internet I've seen some claims that it should go within a month, some say it can last a year.

Should I also expect it to improve fairly significantly in the first couple of weeks after the procedure, or does it normally improve gradually over time?

Many thanks.

Hi James,
Has your haze/blurrying settled down? I had CXL (& Athens Protocol) 3 weeks ago and my vision is still worse than before the surgery. I'm probably being impatient, but also worrried it won't improve...

Hi all,

I just had the cross-linking proceadure done on my left eye on Wed 31st Oct, it was very uncomfortable for the first few days after treatment and slightly blurry. I had the bandage contact lens taken off on Sat morning, and the surgeon was very pleased with the healing.
It has only slightly been blurry, but with one drop of the anti-biotic drops im taking, the blur goes away. My vision in the treated eye is more or less back to the same vision it was before the treatment, heres hoping it improves slightly too ???
I also took close up photos of my eye side on, before treatment it was cone shaped, and now it seems spherical?
Having only had this treatment 5 days ago, it is looking good at the moment.

Bryan.

Hayley wrote:Hi James,
Has your haze/blurrying settled down? I had CXL (& Athens Protocol) 3 weeks ago and my vision is still worse than before the surgery. I'm probably being impatient, but also worrried it won't improve...

Hi Hayley,

I'm glad you posted this because I'm also now 3 weeks on from my CXL and my vision is worse than before surgery as well. I've hardly noticed any improvement at all really. The one thing I have noticed is that for the first week my vision in the treated eye was actually worse with my glasses than without - but now that has reversed. So obviously my prescription is fluctuating, which I believe is normal.

I'm also feeling impatient, as I'm sure you are as well, especially because this is preventing me even attempting going back to work at the moment simply because if I had to use a computer for long stretches at a time I think it would kill me!

I've been told that it can take up to 3 months to get back to pre-CXL levels of vision so I guess I'll have to be patient, but I hope it improves soon. Let me know how you're getting on Hayley and if you see any improvement...

James.

James,
I had an appointment with my surgeon on Tuesday, he said that my vision is worse than prior to the treatment because of hazing on my cornea due to the crosslinking procedure (basically scarring from how he described it), he said that this is common and that it should eventually go, he suggested that I use the FML eye drops 4 times and day this week and then gradually taper off and also keep using the lubricating ones regularly too. He said that my vision may well continue to change over the next few monthes... Interestingly he tried a soft lens and said that improved my vision to as good as I ever got it with a hard lens before and a soft lens used to have no impact, so thats hopeful for the future!
I am back at work now but finding it tricky to put my drops in regularly, use a computer and try to leave before it gets dark!!
How are you getting on??
Hayley

Hi Hayley,

Still blurred vision unfortunately with not much difference so far, but I'm due to see my consultant this week for the post-4 week check up, so he may well identify hazing on the cornea for me as well.

Glad to hear that your surgeon has offered a solution! So do you feel that the eye drops are helping the hazing to clear up, or is it too soon to tell?

You mentioned that you try to leave work before dark - are you suffering more with light sensitivity since the CXL was done? I only ask because I notice that some days since my CXL was done my eyes become quite sensitive to light whilst other days it can be fine. Guess it's to do with my vision / prescription fluctuating at the moment.

James.

James

Did you have epi off cross linking? I am going for Femto pocket next month and everyone seems to have a different experience.

Nick

Hi Nick,

My CXL was done with epi-on.

Yes, I think you're right that everyone has a different experience. I've read some people have their vision restored after a few days, for others it takes months unfortunately.