UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

This time last week, while I write this post, I was in hospital preping for my early morning eye op. Nearly a full week since I had the graft and generally it has been amazing. But to recap, so that everyone knows: I had Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) which you can read more on here:

http://www.niioc.nl/edalkcrs/edalk.htm

I'll try not repeat myself, with regards to my "in the scripting stage" full report heh but some stuff from a more personal point of view, so that everyone has an update.

First right up top, my eye sight, althou still cloud-blurry, is such a major improvement over what I was seeing thru (vague jumble of colors & shadows) I have zero shame in admiting it has nearly brought me to tears how well I can see now.
If I look at a object with my (good) right eye covered I can make it out with my (grafted) left eye, can focus on it and judge the distance easily. I can walk about the house easy enough with my good eye cover and as an experiment I set my cell phone on a glass table with my righteye covered I could see the cell, and the glass table surface without a problem - then when I slowly move my right hand away - I can tell that the eyesight in my left is nearly as good as the sight in my right eye! So this bodes very well for when the blurring and cloudiness clears up.
Regarding the cloudiness, I have seen small little improvements, I can only tell its cleared a fraction under certain lighting condition - but I can nearly watch TV at 10 ft away and still make out whats going on around the cloudy-unfocused haze.
So far so good and I am extremely pleased at how this has progressed. But I had some issues, the stitches for one, felt real sharp and pointy against the insides of my eyelids causing it to water for hours and hours - I managed by just sleeping thru the worst of it or, when awake I'd keep my eye opened wider than normal - this issue happened because my lids had swollen so things were getting a bit tight, but that too settled down after about a day and a half, so I can blink normal again but I still can't do a 'hard blink' it hurts my lids and eye way too much.
The point here being my graft is small, if you're from the UK, its a good bit smaller than a 5pence coin so the stitches are right on the line of my eye lids.
Generally speaking, there is pain, I was told there would be, but its the form of pain that was never really described - I suppose Doctor's cant really say much on it, but I can try explain how it's like for me.

It's more of a dull ache which isn't uncomfortable and personally I get little pin pricks of pain around the eye as well. Also at times the eye can get a little too dry, blinking can aggrivate the stitches which in turn cause those like shocks of pain - thankfully thou now with my eyelids almost back to normal this isn't happening all that much. Also from time to time I can actually 'feel the graft' so to speak in my eye - its feels like I'm wearing my lens which just gives me the overall annoying sensation (which we're all well accustomed to) of having a contact lens in for too long - but its not a constant thing, as when I take my eyedrops they help numb it for a while and those little cotton pads soaked in sterile water gently left to rest over my eye works wonders and is very soothing.
My sclera is no where near as angry fried tomato red as it was on Tuesday but it is blood-shot still. The lefthand side of my lefteye (the outside) is nearly clear white, inside toward my nose has a few nasty blood-shot lines and I have a purple line mark up high under my top eyelid. But my cornea is good and clear and the stitches I have are nearly impossible to see without a flashlight and magnifying glass!

Again this is all, for me, a very positive thing, each day I make progress, eventually I'll heal and even at this stage judging by how well I can see now, my eyesight will be much much better than it was and on a par with my good right eye! But I still have to rest my eyes often, as I'm getting way more eye-strain with me actually 'using' my left eye for reading and typing and generally looking at stuff heh ...

I go back to the eye clinic on Thursday to which I hope all goes well, everything seems and feels fine and as it should be - or rather, better than expected (at least for me).

I hope that covers enough and if anyone has any questions please feel free.

Knight

Thats really good news! I can relate to the touching moments of being able to see!...and im sure the many others will also!

The Stitches and eyelid pain lasted about 6 days for me then as the inside of the eyelids get used to the stitches; they simple cushion over them each time you blink. But i do remember the first few nites I hated to even move my eye when it was closed as the scraping of the stitches inside would pain!

I am assuming you are taking it very easy and are adhering to the "dont lift more than 10lb", and "dont bend over at the waist" etc ?

I saw that you were taking supplements etc? are you doing anything on the diet end as in food? more protein etc?...

Looking forward to see how quick you recover; in fact lets open a book lol....I reckon by the 4-5 month mark youll be full recovered and able to see via glasses! what odds will you give me!

J

Excellent news, Knight. I'm really happy about the vision being so good, and love your description of the angry fried tomato - I remember that look from my own penetrating graft.

As a potential DALKer myself though, I can't help but notice the eyelid sensation you're having - I had none of that after my PK. Yes, I had the overwearing an RGP feeling for a couple of days, but never felt my stitches. Maybe that's the difference a running stich makes, as there is only one knot to worry about!

The other point is that your vision seems to be so much better than someone else on the forum - who at 5 months post DALK is still struggling. What sort of vision recovery times were you led to believe before your graft?

When it comes to my eyes, and with me being somewhat rather attached to them and so forth I am taking every care and advice given - I might be a little extreme (or strict) with my regime but I want nothing to impede my recovery or my eye-sight, so yeah I try not to bend and I am lifting nothing heavier than a pillow or remote control at the moment heh!
Prior to my operation I have already been on a good balanced diet - I have been already taking more protein via those shakes - and the supplements I'm taking are a little extra that I started on with advice from my dietitian; so far the advantages of a really good tailored diet is the frame of mind and mood being so positive and 'charged' which in my opinion play a vital role; not just in general recovery but in actual heal times too. It has been something of a wild coincidence, this graft was sprung on me with my surgeon phoning due to the other patient being out of the country - but I had stopped wearing any lens in my left eye for around 6weeks (which according to the surgeon was excellent as it helped reduced bacteria in that eye) and I had changed my diet, detoxed and generally got myself into a good healthy fit state which has also been a bonus as I have been able to bounce back faster, I think, than I would have been able if this happened before Christmas!
I'm more than willing to open a book, I'm actually very curious how fast I can recover based on what I've been told so far, to expect around 8 months but I will agree (so you get odds on favourite) between 4-5 months I believe is fair - I can't control the outcome but I can take every measure to ensure every possible benefit - and even just a week on I am amazed at the improvements.
I was told to expect immediate sight improvement, as my eye was really that bad but to expect blurred (unfocused) vision - which has been true so far. My eyesight wasn't tested the morning after the operation but the graft and stitching was 'inspected' which was fine except one issue, my eyelid had opened under the patch during sleep and there's a slight abrasion to the new cornea because the dressing had pressed against it - I didn't like to hear that but have been well informed it will heal and will not interfere with my vision.
I'm not sure if I have already said this, but I have 8 surface stitches (its those that I feel althou today I can report aren't as much of a problem as it has been so I am hoping that will continue) which are in 4 pairs around the graft and I have 1 tight running (zig-zag) stitch which I can't even see myself without a flashlight and magnifying glass! So far the only stitches that I have been told would be removed in due course are the surface 8 stitches. I'll know more by Thursday but at the moment I don't think the running stitch will be removed but I could be wrong. The eye-sight itself, I have been informed, will improve faster once the graft 'attaches' itself to the surrounding tissue and so far it is unknown how good the eyesight will be unaided at the end of this but I am to expect some sort of correction via specs most likely or lenses. According to my surgeon it would be an exceptional rare case that would require no aid at all, but, we'll see!

Knight

I have the same, I think I had 15 single Sutures which are ALL out now (that was at the 6 month mark) and I have just the running suture arounf the cornea which I cant see at all.

My biggest change in vision, occured once the outer sides of the cornea healed and the sutures were removed...thereatfer I could get regular daily vision using specs! And I can tell you something!...After wearing Contacts for 11 odd years, NOT wearing them and waking up to put specs on is a bloody GOD SEND!!!!

Really promising results you have!..Makes me more confident for my Dalk in April!

J

Very interesting, Knight. I am sure the vision will get better and better every day. Just remember to rest your eyes enough now the first weeks post op.

Jay. 11 years with lenses ? And relieved to flush them down the toilet? Welcome to the club!:)

Knight

right on. Do no more than you are told is safe.

If the supplements work, continue to use them.

Andrew