corneal graft waiting times

[sarah.w]

hi guys i hope you are all well, happy new year!

I was just wondering does anyone know what the current waiting times are for a graft? I was on the list a couple of years ago until i took myself off and i was told then it was 18 months. Has this changed at all?

I will be due a graft in the not too distant future on my right eye and i am currently away travelling so i have been starting to think about it a little more recently whether i should get myself back on the list and into the system.

Many thanks for your help, as always it is much appreciated

best wishes
sarah x

[GrandPaClanger]

Hi Sarah

I was told end of November 2010 I needed a graft. End of December I was told it would be 3rd May 2011 which it was to the day. Amazed that they could do that but obviously they can.

Ian

[ruralrob]

Hi Sarah

I guess it all depends on where you live .I live in Clacton on sea essex and only had to wait about 3 months ( had graft in dec ) .

all the best

Rob

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Sarah,
As Rob says, it does seem to vary around the country and from one hospital to another. Those of you on our mailing list will have seen that we wrote about this in the last newsletter. The British Transplant Authority is now collecting information about the regional differences and hopefully this will eventually lead to waiting times being much more consistent around the UK at 3 to 6 months. But at the moment, it's a lot longer in some places. So getting back in the system sounds like a good move. All the best
Anne

[sarah.w]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Wow thats good news i thought the donor situation had become a big problem but i guess it has improved obviously depending on your area. I would be the Bristol bank so it would be interesting to know the regional differences.

Im going to see a surgeon in Sydney just for another perspective and out of interest as i do need a graft but im hanging on to my cornea as long as i can! I have had multiple hydrops and even with a scleral lens the vision is very cloudy and blurry but its a hard choice at 25 especially when your travelling! I guess im hoping that by having this eye done i may be able to get some vision atleast as it cant get much worse! I wear sclerals and had the left eye grafted when i was 15 which was sucessful in that it didnt reject but the vision did not improve so now i am partially sighted without lenses and have 'normal' vision in the left eye with a lens. It would be nice to wake up with even just a little vision to see what i look like in the morning or to make breakfast to see what im eating!

anyway thank you again for your time, much appreciated
x