subsidy for contact lenses

General forum for the UK Keratoconus and self-help group members.

Click on the forum name, General Discussion Forum, above.

Moderators: Anne Klepacz, John Smith, Sweet

User avatar
Andrew MacLean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 7703
Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2004 8:01 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Other
Location: Scotland

Postby Andrew MacLean » Sun 29 Jan 2006 3:01 pm

Jayne

Be sure that your daughter knows that she is not alone in this. there will be days when things get on top of her. this is a pretty good place to come for a bit of a grumble. Everybody understands, and she may even give the rest of us permission to have a grumble-fest.

Sometimes the insensitivity of other people will get on top of her. WE'VE BEEN THERE TOO.

Sometimes she will have a little triumph and we'd love her to share those moments with us, too.

In the end she should never forget that KC sufferers may have wonky corneas, but we are in every other respect the assortment of people, mixed in ages and interest, gender and wit, that fills and enriches the whole community.

It's just that we have more fun.

Andrew
Andrew MacLean

User avatar
Lisa Nixon
Regular contributor
Regular contributor
Posts: 121
Joined: Thu 25 Nov 2004 9:34 pm
Location: Isle of Man

Postby Lisa Nixon » Sun 29 Jan 2006 5:07 pm

I understand how worried you must be, my son has KC too. I don't know if it's just the Isle of Man but I've always been reimbursed in full for my lenses as my vision was worse than + or - 6. Not sure if this applies in the UK but may be worth checking out. Good luck at opticians. Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion, there are opticians who specialise in fitting lenses for people with KC which may also be worth looking into. Thinking of you both. Lisa

User avatar
Sweet
Committee
Committee
Posts: 2240
Joined: Sun 10 Apr 2005 11:22 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: London / South Wales

Postby Sweet » Sun 29 Jan 2006 6:55 pm

Jayne, best of luck at the opticians! I was diagnosed at 14 although have to admit that i hated lenses then and so didn't take the whole thing seriously until i got to 16 and couldn't see well enough to do my GCSE's. This all changed though when i decided to grow up a little and try out some contact lenses, then my whole world changed as i could see everything!!

I think it hit me more because my twin sister didn't have seem to have the same problem and it took about six years before she caught up with me. So maybe i was having a little self pitying time out so if your daughter does the same and isn't interested it is ok. It will take some time to get used to but she will get there at her own speed. When she needs to see i'm sure that she will come and find you!

Hoping that she can start with glasses, some do get good vision with them in the early stages. But if not there are loads of contct lenses that she can try.

Wishing you both the best and if she needs to talk anytime she is more than welcome to drop by here and post! We will always reply. :lol:

Sweet X x X
Sweet X x X

Image

User avatar
Helen Scholar
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue 23 Mar 2004 11:04 pm
Location: Bolton, Lancashire

Postby Helen Scholar » Sun 29 Jan 2006 7:59 pm

Hello Jayne,

My son started showing symptoms at 10 (said he had 'double vision' and could see 'lines round things'), was diagnosed at 11 and managed with glasses (although only seeing out of one eye) until he was 13 when he got his first lenses at Royal Manchester Eye Hospital. He goes to the contact lens clinic there for lenses, and we have not had to pay, and they even let us have spares free of charge. He is now 17 and has just applied for his provisional driving licence, having good vision with one eye with correction, less good with the other. We had to declare his KC but are hopeful this won't cause a problem as things are at present.
I am sure you are very worried at the moment, but try not to panic; I think things will settle down once your daughter gets the correct glasses or lenses. Of course the hard thing is that nobody can tell you how KC will progress, and reading some of the difficultes people here one the message board have faced can be worrying, especially when you are concerned on a child's behalf. I think you need to remember that lots of people with KC manage will most of the time.
Good Luck to Bethan (and her anxious mum)!

User avatar
Sweet
Committee
Committee
Posts: 2240
Joined: Sun 10 Apr 2005 11:22 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: London / South Wales

Postby Sweet » Sun 29 Jan 2006 9:12 pm

Jayne, just noticed that you are near my home address! I am from Pontypridd which isn't far from Caerphilly but i now live in London.

Are you going to see someone in Cardiff as my optometrist and consultant were there?

Take care, Sweet X x X
Sweet X x X

Image

User avatar
Emma_Marie
Regular contributor
Regular contributor
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:28 pm
Location: N. Ireland

Postby Emma_Marie » Sun 29 Jan 2006 11:13 pm

Hi Jayne,

i'm in full time education and have had KC since i was 13. Currently I am being treated at the Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry and I have never had to pay anything for my lenses, although this doesn't seem to be the norm really at all. Im 19 now (approaching 20 I'm getting Old! - Scary!) and have only recently had to start paying for my solutions, previously i got them on prescription. I do however have to pay for my glasses but i get a reduced rate for that and my nice optician doesn't charge for the eye test! I think it really depends on the GP/Optician though.

Good Luck!
Emma

User avatar
Carol Vines
Regular contributor
Regular contributor
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon 09 May 2005 2:58 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Contact lenses
Location: Market Harborough

Postby Carol Vines » Mon 30 Jan 2006 4:55 pm

hi jayne

i was diagnosed at 14 and i'm 40 this year, so Emma honestly 20 is not old!

i've always wore the small rgp cornea lenses, my KC is classed as mild in my left eye and medium in my right eye according to my optician.

the big thing i was naughty with when i was younger was not cleaning the lenses, same solution in my case for weeks never used protein tablets. so my only advise for your daughter at this stage is if she does get fitted for lenses keep them clean it really does make a big difference to the comfort of them. also if she decides not to wear them everyday be calm about it, as sweet said earlier she'll wear them more with age.

good luck and keep in touch
Caz

User avatar
GarethB
Ambassador
Ambassador
Posts: 4916
Joined: Sat 21 Aug 2004 3:31 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses
Location: Warwickshire

Postby GarethB » Mon 30 Jan 2006 6:38 pm

Carol,

I thought it ws just teenage boys that were lax in looking after their lenses!!!!

You have described exactly what I used to do, if the lens fell out during a game of rugby, I would pick it up, clean it with spit and put it back in. Luckily the lens only came out if I got tackled, so was never far from where I landed.
Gareth

User avatar
Carol Vines
Regular contributor
Regular contributor
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon 09 May 2005 2:58 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Contact lenses
Location: Market Harborough

Postby Carol Vines » Tue 31 Jan 2006 9:43 am

lol, the old spit clean that brings back happy memories along with having a couple of drinks too many the lens falling out so dipping it in my cider and putting it back in, no wonder i was always getting eye infections eh! 8)

oh i can assure you Gareth teenage girls are just as lax as the lads we just don't never admitted to it at that age!!

the other big one for me was being vain and going out without my lenses so i could wear make up, then people coming up to me monday at work and telling me off for ignoring them! in the end the make up went and i wore my lenses so i could see. to this day i still don't wear makeup but i'm assured makeup is far more compatible with lenses so not a real issue anymore.
Caz

User avatar
Andrew MacLean
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 7703
Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2004 8:01 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Other
Location: Scotland

Postby Andrew MacLean » Tue 31 Jan 2006 10:08 am

the other thing we all remember is being at a party which we did not leave until the next day. with dozens (exaggeration) or five or six sundry bodies crashed on the floor there would always be the Contact Lens wearer who would carefully remove his or her lenses, put them with a little saline into wine glasses and leave them appropriately arranged for left and right identification where they could be found in the morning.

Next day there was always somebody up early who would decide that to avoid disturbing the slumber of the rest he or she would just wash the dishes.

"What happened to the wine glasses I left on the counter last night?"

"Oh, don't worry, I washed them and put them away".

AAARRRGGHHH

Andrew
Andrew MacLean


Return to “General Discussion Forum”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 44 guests