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

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Anne B
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Postby Anne B » Wed 08 Feb 2006 11:59 am

Hi i was diagnosed with KC about 2 years ago but i think it had been developing for about 7 years(after i had my first child).I also suffer from eczema which is really bad in around my eyes, so i have done a lot of eye rubbing over the years. I am being treated with steroids and cyclosporin and various eye drops to try and calm the eczema before trying contact lenses. the treatment is working well and i am slowly coming of off the steroids. I was giving a contact lens to try in my left eye(less swollen tha the right) i tried it for 2 months and it was hopeless it just would not stay in place. I went back to Moorfield and they have given me another lens to try and i tried it for the first time yesterday and it was even worse
can you put a lens in wrong? I really feel like im not getting anywhere and i dont really understand what is going on.I find the time i get with the doctors to short and never seem to ask the right questions. Im hoping being a member of the support group will help me sort all this out and make everything a bit clearer!

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jayuk
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Postby jayuk » Wed 08 Feb 2006 12:57 pm

Hi Anne

Welcome to the forum!

With regards to your lens, did you actually try them on when you were in Moorefields?. What kind of pain/sensation do you experience when you put them in? As I am sure you can imagine, there is generally a settling in period for lenses which can last anything from 3-21 days...however I am certain that if it was disruptive pain than you would know

Have you made another appointment? You mentioned that you only had the lens in one eye? Is the other not KC affected?

Jay
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -
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Sweet
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Postby Sweet » Wed 08 Feb 2006 1:12 pm

Hi Anne and welcome to the forum! :D

I hope you find the help and support you need here. Contact lenses can be difficult to get used to at first and even after years of wearing them a new lens can make you start all over so please don't panic about getting it right. There is no wrong way of doing it, although trying to insert one whilst standing on your head is probably not the best option!! :wink: Hehe, sorry! SOH ran away with me for a second there! :roll: :P

What contact lens is it? Hard lenses (RGP's) usually slide across the front of your eye and settle right in the centre. Every time you blink they move slightly to aid in oxygen transmission but in time you shouldn't really notice it. There also shouldn't be any real pain with any lens although they can be very uncomfortable until you have worn them in and your eye gets used to it.

Your eye can feel sore and water while it adjusts as in reality we are sticking a foreign object into our eye and they don't normally like it very much at first! The quality of vision that you can have with lenses though really outweighs all the fuss about putting them in and is definately worth the wait!

So please be patient with them as lenses do take a lot of time and practice. Having KC can make it hard to get a good fitting so it may take a while to find the right one for you which will sit nicely on your cornea. Also in time when your cornea changes you may need to go back and get the lens refitted but it is very early days yet so just take it one day at a time.

I'm also a patient at Moorfields as are some others here so we do understand where you are. Take care and let us know how it all goes with you!

Sweet X x X
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Anne B
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Postby Anne B » Wed 08 Feb 2006 1:33 pm

I did try the lens at Moorfields and it seemed ok.It was not really painful when i tried it at home just uncomfortable my eye was really bloodshot and watering and when i wiped the tears the lens moved out of place. Is this normal then? I have another appointment in 2 months and i will give it a good go i have three children and i really feel like im missing out on so much.

I have KC in both eyes the reason i only have one lens isthat the eczema has always been worse in my right eye, so no chance in getting a lens in. The KC is also worse in my right eye

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Sweet
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Postby Sweet » Wed 08 Feb 2006 1:40 pm

The reason your eye is red and watering is because it is trying to get rid of this little piece of plastic! You need to build up the amount of time you wear your lens and don't overdo it. Start with an hour and see how you go gradually increasing it with each day.

If you get severe pain i would recommend going back and getting it looked at although we all know how hard it is to get an appointment quickly! If you don't get severe pain i'm thinking that it is just normal and your eye just needs some time to adjust. It does take a while but you will get there! Your lens will move if your eye waters as it will slide over your eye so you are going to have to be really careful with it until your eye stops watering so much and settles down.

Good luck! Sweet X x X
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Postby jayuk » Wed 08 Feb 2006 1:42 pm

Anne

What I would do in your case is to wear the lens for 60 mins, then remove them...do this for 3 days. Even if it feels ok!

Then up the wear time....to 120 mins etc etc....the bloodshot look is very common for new lens...

J
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -

(C) Copyright 2005 KP

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Postby Andrew MacLean » Wed 08 Feb 2006 3:41 pm

Anne

Welcome to the forum!

You asked whether it was possible to put a lens in wrong, and I'm afraid that the answer is "it depends on what sort of lens'

Actually, the straightforward answer is 'yes you can'. If I were you, I'd contact the lens clinic at Moorfields and ask if you can go in to be helped to find the right way of wetting, inserting wearing and removing your lens. It may be that you are trying to put it in too dry, or if it is a scleral that you are putting it in the wrong way round ...

but, do not panic. We have all had to struggle with lenses. For the most part we have found them to be a great boon!

All the best

Andrew
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John Smith
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Postby John Smith » Wed 08 Feb 2006 4:12 pm

Just a quick follow-up to all the excellent advice on here.

Make sure that the lens is really wet, and stays wet (no dry patches) when inserting it.

If you don't use sufficient wetting solution, you could get dry patches which will be quite irritating.
John

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Anne B
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Postby Anne B » Wed 08 Feb 2006 5:06 pm

Thanks for the advice

Put my lens in about 10 mins ago and it feels ok. But i have really bad double vision is this to be expected its ok if i squint.Also i need to hoover now because i can see all the bits everywhere!!

Anne

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jayuk
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Postby jayuk » Wed 08 Feb 2006 5:18 pm

Anne

Sounds normal...double vision can be expected when you first try them on as the corneal surface is going to be changed to allow the lens to sit on it.

I think if you build up you will be ok, assuming the lens fit is correct...

J
KC is about facing the challenges it creates rather than accepting the problems it generates -

(C) Copyright 2005 KP


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