UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

well I had very bad probs with my lens popping out ....i eventually tried piggybacking ...4 months ago or maybe six motnhs ago...it worked great...but today my hard lens popped out in my maths lecture

I can't afford a new hard lens for 2 months

any ideas on preventing popping out...my opticien doesn't recomend scheral lens for me as he only recently stocked them and they are so dear and i can't afford it..[can't afford intacs or corsslinking either

Hi Geraldine,

I don't know where you live, but if you were to visit Moorfields for your scleral lenses you should only have to pay the standard NHS charge of £45 per lens, rather than the several hundred each I believe that they cost privately.

Even if you can't be seen by Moorfields, there should be no reason why you cannot get a scleral lens. If it's optically good for you, then the NHS should be helping you out. Cost shouldn't be an issue.

Geraldine,

If you are in full time education, there should be some kind of assistance too.

Geraldine
As John and Gareth say, you really shouldn't be paying the full whack for contact lenses. Anyone in ft education should be getting lenses free, and anyone else in the UK getting a prescription through the hospital eye service should be paying around £45 per lens which then covers any changes during the following year regardless of the type of lens rgp or scleral. Have a look at the thread on subsidies for contact lenses.
Anne

well well well.....I live in Dublin not the uk....

I did get covered for a contact lens on my medical card but not really eligble for any more....[most of the 1000-1500 was in the peroid before I got and realised I was entitle to optical benefit as a student....i do have to bear virtually full contact cost as its my fault

Sorry Geraldine - didn't realise you weren't in the UK. Or that the arrangements in Ireland were so different. Sounds as though someone needs to start campaigning for KC there. It's hardly 'your fault' that your lenses are popping out! Most of us with KC have spent many hours scrabbling around on the floor for lost lenses.
Anne

I´m afraid I have no constructive advice to this problem other than to mention that this is one of several reasons why I am happy not to be dependent of hard lenses today. I hope you find a solution to the problem.

Best wishes !

Geraldine

I'm sorry that you are having this trouble with your lenses, and it may just be that your cones are now so advanced that it is not going to be possible for an RGP to remain stable on your eye.

You say that your optometrist does not recommend Sclerals, and it is true that they do not suit everybody. What else have you tried?

Has your ophthalmologist begun to talk about a graft?

Andrew