Graft tomorrow is off

[John Smith]

Yes, we tend to use the terms "corneal graft" and "cornea transplant" to mean the same thing.

I think that technically, the operation is a graft, as the new cornea is sewn in place for it to attach itself, where a transplant is more complicated.

We all tend to use the "transplant" term because the general population has a rough idea what that means.

[jayboi2005]

sounds scary

[Paul Osborne]

Yeah, and I am due to be done in the next few months.

I found a video on the web a while back (if I can find it again I will post the url), watched it and thought yeah that makes sense.

Scares the life out of me now I have thought about it. Though rationally I feel fine.

Paul

[jayuk]

Paul

Here is a very good Page from a Corneal Transplant patient with updates and pics and Mpeg video

http://www.wirtznet.net/transplant/

And this is the Research Video on Corneal Transplants

http://researchchannel.org/program/disp ... p?rid=2331

Hope that helps

J

[Janet Manning]

Hi Chris,
My son was diagnosed with the same heart condition and has just had his tonsils out under general anaesthetic. Repeated tonsilitis can put pressure on your heart, so we are now wondering whether it was this that caused the massive palpitations all along!
You could always suggest to your eye surgeon that you have the graft with a local. I had both mine that way no problem - home 45 mins after coming out of theatre!

[Andrew MacLean]

Janet

did I read that right: you had a cornea graft under a local? Well done! I had enough trouble having my sutures out under local!

Andrew

[Janet Manning]

Hi Andrew,
Yes I had both my grafts with local anaesthetic, because of respiratory complications with generals. I had a near death experience having an emergency Caesarean 29 years ago and repeated chest infections following both my Caesars, so for me a local was a very good option. However it wasn't the same sort of local you have when undergoing suture removal - just a few drops in your eye. It involved a number of injections all around the eye. Your vision goes completely squiffy and you cannot move your eye. The main advantage was very rapid recovery time and continued anaesthesia for about 6 hours post op. It was the same as dental anaesthesia, so an eighth of my skull felt numb, following the nerve distribution.

I would really recommend this type of anaesthesia. The main thing I was nervous about was seeing instruments coming at me, but in fact all I could see was light and shadows. The reality was much less traumatic than the anticipation. My head was in a mould, but I could have moved at any time. I didn't!!! It was interesting to listen to the commentary to students and chat to the surgeon myself.

[Andrew MacLean]

Janet

Wow!

I guess it is often the case that the experience of something dreaded is less traumatic than the anticipation.

Your comparison of the ophthalmological 'local' with a dental anaesthetic conjured an odd image in my mind. The ophthalmologist standing over your tight shut eye and saying "open wide".

thank you for putting me right. the prospect of a couple of drops of tear drop being followed by scalpel, suture and dressing would have given me nightmares!

Yours aye

Andrew

[John Smith]

That's really interesting, Janet. I've also read of others being given some sedation as well as the local... their description was "I could see the instruments coming towards me, but I no longer cared!".

Andrew, I too (and I suspect many others) was FAR more concerned about having the stitches removed than I was about the actual graft.

As those who attended the June conference would testify, just the thought of having my eye worked on caused me to faint!

[Andrew MacLean]

John

Glad to know I am not alone!

A