I have Keratoconus

[rosemary johnson]

Drew is getting Moorfields to fit him with a fenestrated scleral:
Crumbs!
Who is doing that for you??
And how on earth did you talk them into it?
Is it an RGP one?

I used to have fenestrated sclerals. Then I moved to London and Moorfields decided this was "old hat" and wanted to experiment with slots (ouch), channels, and then the then-new RGP materials.
Never had such good vision since as I used to get with the fenestrations. That, to be fair, is probably related to increasing KC not only the change in approach.
But am fascinated to know they are coming back in fashion.
Rosemary

[Andrew MacLean]

I wore a fenestrated scleral. The fesestration was just to the left of the cornea, so lots of oxygen got through. Sadly my KC advanced and my cornea became so steep that they couldn't get one that would fit.

But for sheer comfort and for vision I found the lens marvelous while I could wear it.

Andrew

[Drew Radcliffe]

Heya All

The reason I have a fenestrated lens is handling. I have nystagmus which means my eyes shake uncontrolably especially when putting lenses in. Unfenestrated sclerals are completely unusable for me as my eyes flick around so much they throw the amidose out so I can't get normal ones in without air bubbles.

My eyeballs are so out of shape from the norm standard scleral lenses don't fit at all - they hurt like hell and leak. So I have to have mine made from an impression.

I was under the impression that even the most difficult topographies could be fitted. Prehaps someone could add to that.

Drew

[Andrew MacLean]

Drew

Isn't Sensory Nystagmus the eye condition from which James Galway suffers? I think he overcomes the tremble effect while reading music by placing his music stand where he can only see the music out of the corner of his eye.

I fully understand why you need a special lens. Life is hard enough with just Keratoconus, and I am always grateful that I don't have to condend with other eye conditions as well.

Andrew

[Drew Radcliffe]

Yes James Galway does suffer for Nystagmus.

When its bad it actually makes you blind for a moment or two at at a time. However correcting my eyesight if it can still be done does dampen it to a point where I can function near normally.

Unfortunately despite looking out of the corners of my eyes most of the time and tilting my head I still can't control it that well. Hence the guide dog its easier to shut my eyes aim and fire.

Makes for and interesting lifestyle and it really throws people who are asserting themselves at you if you wobble your eyes back at them.

D

[Andrew MacLean]

I can imagine! You are a courageous man, Drew Radcliffe!

Andrew

[Lynn White]

Yes,

Impression sclerals can be made to fit almost anything as you are literally moulding the eye with the stuff that dentists use for dental moulding (but they do take the minty flavour our first!).

The mould is then filled with a plaster which gives is then basically a plaster model of your eye. The plastic for the scleral is then pressed over this and thus the lens is made.

Back when I was a student we had to cast each others eyes, a very weird experience I have to admit!! Good fun to see the resulting casts though!

And yes, often wearing sclerals will dampen nystagmus movement.

I saw a young boy in the practice the other day who could produce nystagmic movement at will. He just concentrated and his eyes oscillated very very rapidly back and forth. Simply amazing! It was not like "normal" nystagmus and I am not sure why he could do it!!
Lynn

[Andrew MacLean]

Lynn

Coul he turn his nystagmus "off" as well as "on "?

Andrew

[Sweet]

Hehe i would imagine so as it wasn't there before he did it! LOL!!

Sweet X x X

[Lynn White]

hehe...

Yes, as Sweet points out .. he is perfectly normal.. he just concentrates and the eyes whizz from side to side in a totally dizzying way, and then he simply stops. Quite bizarre. Its his party piece his parents told me !