Quicktopic posts: May 2001

[Tony Stigle]

It works!... The online chat area...
I had 3 last night ( Chats!).. So May I sagest that on Wednesday of next week I will be on line 18.00 to 19.00
( That is 6.00 O'clock Sue )if you want to join the fun. Lets see how many on line we can make it.. Be there or be []
Tony.:-)

[Steve]

Sue,

Many thanks for the information.

[freddy]

Elaine - thanks for asking! I am feeling better now the weather has brightened up, so I can be outside more. My vision is much the same - ie fuzzy out of my operated eye, but no pain. I feel more confident out on public transport, gym and walking now too. I can't drive yet and have to use bus/train if I want to get around in the day. Today's triumph was that I went to Nottingham, sadly for a family funeral. But went on my own!

Best wishes to all, Freddy

[Carole Woodruff]

Freddy,

Did you receive my e-mail?

Elaine,

Am sorry to hear your grafts are deteriorating. In what way? I thought they ciuld last a whole life-time but perhaps I'm wrong. Or is it down to luck? Which hosp do you attend?

[Mike Oliver]

Elaine,
Sounds as if you are having a tough time. Someone will correct me if I am wrong but 12 seems very young for grafts--did you have lens before that or were things so bad that surgery was the only choice? Have you been told whether there is any chance of further grafts or is it a question of having to manage with lens? Please don't be nervous about joining in--I seem to manage despite a complete lack of computer skills. Your history sounds very unusual and I wonder what led to the need for grafts so young. Tell us more about the problems you have now and the type of lens you wear--I'm sure many will have suggestions which might help.
On a general note, if there are many of you out there who have not got around to contributing to the discussion, why not have a go? The more wide ranging it is the more helpful and interesting for all.
Yet again, huge thanks to Tony for this ever expanding site.

[June]

Hi everyone, in ansa to question, my other lens is a corneal rgp. I have no problems having 2 different lenses, but then i had huge problems before!!!
Cleaning, I use squirty saline to wash both lenses off, though sometimes use the saline that I fill the sclearal with.
I'm off to see Ken at Moorfields tommorow (14/05/01) so lets hope its a good day. Keep smiling everyone.

[Robert Smith]

Hi everybody

Since finding this site a month or so ago I have enjoyed reading the various messages as well as being relieved to find fellow sufferers. As someone who can't face the idea of anything in or near my eyes, especially my left one which is badly affected by KC, all this talk of lenses makes my eyes literally water. I suffered hard lenses for some time quite a while ago and the memory is still horrid. On my last visit to the specialist I was recommended some drops but haven't been able to use them as I can't get them in.

As I mentioned in an earlier message I am seeing the specialist this week. Now while I can see all the problems of lenses I am still not completely sure about all the problems of transplants. Now I realise there may be rejection problems as well as other complications but has anybody any other definite points that I should take into account when trying to decide?

I do have to say that at the moment the idea of transplants is more appealing than lenses - am I just being stupid or . . . ?

PS To Jamie Fielden

I too now live in Leeds and am seeing a specialist at St James - and can't remember his name!!! I have only seen him once before but he seemed to know all the specialists I have seen before in the south - I suppose it is a small world! Do you want to meet up or correspond further to compare experiences?

Best wishes to all

Robert

[Ken Pullum]

Robert

Is your KC more unilateral than both eyes? I thought you said it was OK unaided in one eye in an earlier message.

I would not wish to labour the point about sclerals, but I am pleased that a few people have suggested trying them: you would be surprised to find that they are quite comfortable without an adaptation process. I have worn them on many occasions for clinical trials. I expect I could wear RGP corneals if I had a visual indication, but as I don't, I cannot tolerate them well at all.

I can unequivocably reassure you that most corneal transplants have a successful outcome. However, they are not without problems. There are rejections from time to time, most of which are resolved with prompt treatment using appropriate drops, and there are other odd complications which crop up sometimes. One problem you may have is that you will have to be prepared to undergo the necessary treatment if anything occurs. I don't think the risk of complications is a reason for not going ahead, but there does have to be a good indication in the first place.

Ask yourself what would be the consequence of doing nothing. No contact lenses, no operation, just carry on as now. If your other eye is OK without contact lenses, there is a greater chance that you will need contact lenses after the op because there may well be an optical imbalance. Residual myopia of say 4 - 5 dioptres often with astigmatism is very common after transplants. This is not a reason to call the procedure a failure, but there are problems tolerating SPECTACLES if there is a big difference between the two eyes due to image size differences. Contact lenses eliminate image size differences.

Sometimes the indication for transplant has as much to do with the fellow eye as the eye to be treated. That applies to some extent to contact lenses as well, but the difference is that contact lens options are not irreversible.

Hope this is useful. I am sure you'll make the right decision

KP

[Martin Alexander]

Hi there,

I'm 22 from Fort William in Scotland and just had a Corneal Transplant in my right eye 2 weeks ago - which had advanced progress Keratoconus ( started at about 18 years of age ) luckily my left eye has had no major symptoms of it yet albeit I was informed by my Opthalmologist that there is mild signs of it in the left eye.

Interesting to have found a support group in the UK!

I will keep you posted on my healing progress... at the moment everything is still very blurred and i'm also very sensitive to bright lights / sunlight after the operation - apparently it may be a few months before i start to see any improvements, I'd much appreciate anyones input and experience post Corneal Transplant surgery.

Best Wishes

[Elaine]

In ansa to some questions,yes 12 was very young to have grafts but i suppose at the time it was my only option. Perhaps ken could shed some light on how unusual
it was 30yrs ago.I've never really thought about it.All i remember was struggling to see at school and being labelled a lazy,not much up top student.After my first op the bandages came off and they took me to a window
to see the moon and stars for the first time.That accuracy of sight is now only poss with my lenses which i often put in just to look at the sky!Really i would recommend grafts to anyone faced with that decision. The risks are
fairly minimal I'm sure-though i am certainly no expert.the joy of seeing again far outway the risks. My grafts cannot be redone because of rejection problems second time around,although i often wonder if anyone in say america
would be prepared to take the risk that british surgeons won't.

hope freddy is doing okay.It would be interesting to hear how the prosess of
post-graft treatment has changed since my op.

Elaine