Scared - first Hydrops experience!

[craigthornton]

After a week of blurred vision (well. more blurred than is usual with KC!) I went to my local hospital to find I have suffered from a hydrops in my right eye, which is the worst eye of the two.

Am wearing a patch for 48-hrs, and had some drops put in - my pupil is almost as big as the iris!. After 48 hrs I have a set of drops and a set of ointment to use daily before I go back in a week.

They said it could last weeks or months, and if it scars it will mean a transplant.

My KC had been steady for some time. Does this mean it is now worsening and a transplant is inevitable?

I have a regular check-up appointment with my specialist in May at Nottingham. I see a team under a Professor Dua who is meant to be one of the country's top KC specialists. So I guess more will become clear then.

I just feel low at facing several months of distorted vision.

[John Smith]

Hi Craig, and welcome to the forum.

No, a graft is not inevitable. It os the case that as the eye heals after the hydrops, the KC cone could be more regular, and thus you have an improvement. Apparently, surgeons used to artificially induce a hydrops as a cure for KC!

It also depends on the vision you have out of the other eye - they will generally transplant when your overall vision is impaired so that it impacts on your life.

I'm sure that some people who've had a hydrops will give you some more details, and I hope yours clears up soon.

[craigthornton]

I did see on one website that it could actually cause an improvement, but didn't want to get my hopes up!!

Once you have had one hydrops, do they become more regular, as your membrane is weaker?

[craigthornton]

Sorry, forgot to add, the vision in my left eye is almost perfect, only a slight KC. Even without a lens I can read down to the second but one line on the chart. That eye does all the work for me!

[jayuk]

Craig

Welcome to the forum!

Indeed you have recieved correct information as far as recovery is concerned.....it can takes few weeks to upto 8 months...all depends on the size of the tear.

However, this does not mean that you will need a graft. It all depends on how fast and how well the cornea tear recovers. It also depends on what the tear occured and the size of the scar. Have they put you on any steroids? (eye drops). This is very important......as it helps the eye heal quicker and in majority of cases reduces scar tissue.

However, you may also have had a large tear..but this does still not mean youll need a graft....especialyl if the tear was not in a central location of the cornea........

Do you feel any pain?

Its also good to know that you have good vision in the other eye as this will allow you to leave the hydropped eye to recover fully.....

Easier said than done, but just focus on recovering and keeping to the ointment and drops schedule

Hope that helps

J

[Andrew MacLean]

craigthornton

We;come to the forum

Delighted to know that you have one eye in good working order. Your Hydrops has occurred because a little tear or fissure has opened in the membrane at the back of your cornea. This is called the endothelium.

Some of the fluid from inside your eye has seeped into your corneal stroma. The tear will heal and the fluid will be metabolized, but it will take a bit of time.

I'm afraid that you won't know until later whether this means that your doc will advise you to go ahead with a graft.

I am sorry that you have had this experience, and hope that it all clears up quickly

Yours aye

Andrew

[craigthornton]

I am in no pain at all, and in fact the white of the eye is the clearest it's been for a long time!

The hydrops is about the same size as your pupil at its smallest (well, just a bit bigger) and is at the 4 o'clock position.

I have got Sodium Chloride eye ointment and Mydriliate drops. Neither mention being an antibiotic.

[jayuk]

Craig

You have been given the same as I was.....

Bear in mind also that in majority of cases of hydrops, the cornea actually flattens and becoems easier to fit a contact lens!...the negative part is that this means very little if the scar is centrally located?!?

So its a suck em and see apporach im afirad!

J

[Andrew MacLean]

You probably don't need an antibiotic at this stage: Hydrops is not a bacterial infection.

Still, at least you know where the pain was coming from

By the way Mydriliate are to dilate the pupil and Sodium Chloride is used toi reduce the swelling of the cornea.

Andrew

[jayuk]

Andrew

Are you sure about that?...With regards to the SC?..I was under the impression that the SC was given for antibacterial and also to create osmosis thus increasing the time it takes to remove the fluid in the cornea?....

Mind you, reduced swelling and the latter could be inter-linked so Ill shut up shall i!

Although, Criag due keep an eye on the cornea (lol), excuse me!, as there is an increased chance of infection if fluid seeps into the cornea...

May also be worth mentioning the steroids for faster corneal recovery.....this depends from consultant to consultant as to whether they prescribe it...but its never going to hurt to ask them

J