UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

HI all,

Just thought would let you know how things are. Its now day eight days since my graft and the best day so far has been the day following my graft, particularly in terms of sensitivity.

I have had a few goodish days and some bad days. Days 2/3 I was quite sore and sleepy and a little sensititive......more than day one. On Saturday, day four, the mornign was quite well and i ventured out to visit some local relatives and to a local garden centre for a few hrs. All was quite good for about 4 hrs then the tiredness and sensitivity returned, forcing me to relax in a dark room for a few hrs on the afternoon.

Sunday morning after the initially settling down (it seems to take a couple of hrs each mornign to settle) it was fine but a few hrs later I found it difficult to be a passenger in the car and returned home quite quickly to the "dark room". But the early evening time was great, no soreness or sensitivity and I even washed my long hair in the shower ...i thought it was going to be a challenge but it was fine.

On Monday I had my first check up. Wasnt able to see my own consultant as he had been called away due to a family bereavement. All is fine, the stitches remain tight and the graft still in place, no infection but slight inflammation which is apparently to be expected. I explaned about the sensitivity and recited the past few days, and also that it takes a couple of hrs each mornign to settle down. He wasnt aware of my nightmare story of intacs when they extruded earlier in the year so I told him about that and that the sensitivity is worrying me as it the same as it was for the intacs. He gave me some drops to use upto three times a day called.......mydrilate cyclopentoalte hydrochloride...they dilate your pupils but help wiht the sensitvity. So I am now using these along with the steroids and hylo forte.Have now stopped the antibiotics.

Yesterday was again for a few hrs mid day to early afternoon bu then by 4pm tiredness and soreness kicked in. and by 9pm i wasnt able to watch the tv due to soreness and sensitivity.

Today the sunshine is very very strong outside and I have been sat in the lounge with both the blins and the curtains closed as I cant tolerate the sunshine.

Interms of the vision I think over the past couple of days it has imporved on what it was from the first couple of days. It is less hazy and cloudy but still not clear or focused. At my check up I couldnt even see the wall chart,,,never mind read it!
Thankful that my left eye can be corrected with glasses!!
I do have some dark glasses which I am using when I go outside too!

My partner thinks that I should go back to the hospital but I think its just going to be like htis for a while for me, as I have had a total of seven procedures and I i know that with each one comes a greater sensitivity that takes longer to settle down.

Has anyone else had this level of sensitivity following a graft??

ali

Yes! The day after I left hospital after my first graft there was snow on the ground and the whiteness was unbearable. Like you, I found the first couple of hours in the morning difficult. After a day or two, I left the curtains drawn for an hour or two after I got up, so that my eyes could get used to the light gradually and that definitely helped. Back when I had my grafts, Moorfields used to give all graft patients a pair of very dark sunglasses to go home with, so light sensitivity immediately post graft was obviously an acknowledged problem. (With all the cutbacks, I think they've stopped doing that). I was also very tired for the first couple of weeks, but I think that was more to do with the anaesthetic working itself out of my system.
My grafts were so long ago that I can't really remember how long the light sensitivity was an issue. But I went back to work after 3 weeks each time, so it can't have been too bad by then.
Take things easy and hopefully you'll be feeling stronger and better soon.
Anne

Hi Anne,

Oh the thought of snow!!! No, dont give me snow just yet! Can totally understand how unbearable that would be. But right now its not as bad as it was this morning.
I am grateful for the dark glasses i got earlier in the year....this is the second pair i've had as the first pair broke...they are not made of the strongest materials...i am handling them very gently....suppose if i needed them all the time there are better ones available.
Three weeks back at wprk??? My gosh that was good progress. Although I am not working again.....was made redundant again this time last year and have only had around 4 months since then when I would have been any use to an employer...I couldnt imagine me being back in work so soon right now. On that scorem, I am so so pleased that i found action for blind all those years ago.....they encouraged me and supported me through out all my employment issues and also helped me with my ESA appeal trubunal...we won in Sept.
Thanks Anne, for your good wishes. hoepfully I will be better next week and I can make it to college next wednesday....really miss being there today...I enrolled on a Professional Patisserie Course in Sept at Newcastle college....not the best environment to be in after a graft.....cant bear hot oven!
Hoping for a cloudy date tomorrow!
Bye for now
Ali

Wow, Ali - so pleased to hear that you won your ESA appeal! I remember all the work issues you had so that's great news. Action (www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk) do have very good advisers. They spoke at our last conference in 2011 and I've had good feedback from quite a few members who have contacted them.
As for going back to work after a graft, people vary a lot in how much time they need and it a lot depends on what the job involves and how much an employer is prepared to be flexible (eg starting back on reduced hours or allowing a day or two a week to be worked from home).
I see what you mean about a hot oven! All the best with your course - we'll have to arrange a social when you've completed it so you can bake all sorts of wonderful cakes for us!
Anne