My CXL is tomorrow

[fatar760]

So after much research and consultations I'm getting my CXL done tomorrow.

I would love some words of encouragement and well wishes. I'm sure it will all be fine.

It's the clamping the eye open bit I'm dreading at the moment.

[leonel1213]

you can do it

[dalbeath]

I had it done on Tuesday.
First 24 hours are grim but now (3 days ) I'm doing well
Good luck.

For me the worst bit was the first bit, the removal of the outer layers of cornea. The clamping was not so bad

[fatar760]

Hello all,

So just wanted to post my experience of having CXL done.

Firstly I must say that I found it an incredibly simple procedure and despite reading that some people suffer incredible pain afterwards, I must say that I have not felt any at all.

I had seen 3 consultants and then opted to go with Steven Bailey. I felt really comfortable with him and he was able to provide the procedure 2 days after the consultation. I felt really empowered having left and eager to get it over with.

So, on the day, after an initial chat through everything, I lay on the bed and the eye was numbed. The eye clamp was then put into my eye (which was the bit I was worried about) and I didn't even notice it - I think my eye was numbed really well! A machine was then put on my cornea which created little holes for the ribo-thingy to soak into the cornea. After 30 mins of drops the cornea was checked to ensure all the ribo-thingy had been absorbed - and it had.

I did feel myself blinking - but I wasn't - it was quite weird. Although the weirdest thing was actually being able to taste the various eye drops as they travelled down my tear ducts into the back of my throat. i was actually more nervous about my throat than my eyes in the end as it was being numbed too.

So then I stared at a UV light for 30 minutes with ribo-thingy being re-dripped every few minutes or so. I did wonder if I'd lose concentration and look elsewhere but the light is so big I couldn't really have looked anywhere if I tried. A soft lens was then put into my eye.

I got a collection of drops and drugs afterwards which I made a timetable for and despite a little tearing on the first night (under my eye shield) i can honestly say I haven't felt any pain at all.

I would highly recommend Mr Bailey - his calm, friendly and measured approach really put me at ease and I'm expecting to be back at work tomorrow - just 3 days after the procedure.

Now I need to start thinking about my left eye...

[Sue Bell]

Can I ask which hospital you went to?

[fatar760]

Hi Sue,

I went to see Steven Bailey (who works at Moorfields) at his private clinic on Harley Street, London.

[sarkac]

Hey, looks like you had an epi-on procedure am I right?

[itansey]

i had this procedure done on my left eye on wednesday and i have to say that it wasnt as bad as i thought. They used the daya disruptor to create tiny holes in my cornea so the drops could penetrate my eye before using the uv light. they then applied a contact lens/patch to the eye. There was no real pain on wedensday night, it was slightly uncomfortable but some panadol sorted that out. Its been fine since then. Had the post op checkup on Friday and was told that the cornea is healing well so i'm back in a month. my vision seems to be improving by the day.

[sarkac]

itansey .. like!!!
hope u get better.. by the way does creating holes on the epi mean epi-on or off? since they dont really scrape it off

[itansey]

Its epi-on