Piggyback user problems.

[Bres90]

Hey.

I'm a KC sufferer, and have had a crosslinking of my right eye, the left was too thin. The doctor prescribed Rigid lenses but they became intolerable all of a sudden so he got them polished and advised me to piggy back them with daily lenses.

There is a reduction in my discomfort but I have been forced to use alot of eye drops to get the wearing time up.
Is there any good tips or better drops or solution I could use??
Also my eyes are very sore in the morning is there any techniques or hints that would be of help.

Awaiting your responses with anticipation!!

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Bres and welcome to the forum,
I've never piggy backed, so I hope those that do can make some suggestions. But I do know that piggy backing does reduce the oxygen flow to the eye a bit. How long are you wearing the lenses for? One answer might be to reduce the wearing time a bit if that's possible, to see if that would help.
Anne

[Matthew_]

Hi,
I am now a piggy-backer. Been doing this for about six months. I am doing all right with this. I do need a lot of drops, but my va is so much better than glasses (I've gone from 6/12 to 6/5 corrected), and rgps on their own are too uncomfortable. To make the piggy-backing work, I have developed a rigorous routine for cleaning.

My big issue is hayfever, so I have got on top of that by using opatinol drops and citirizine all year around. I can boost this with telfast if I need it. But by taking it all year around, I can stop the syptoms early. The doctors like to change it around as they believe the tablets become less effective but the combination I use really works so I have stuck to it. If you have hayfever, talk to your doctor about really getting under control if you can. I found once hayfever struck it made the cornea so spongy, any kind of lens was a waste of time.

I also clean out my eyes with saline before I go to bed and when I get up, I also use a cotton bud to clean my eye-lids at both times. This makes it a lot easier in the morning as before I had big lumps of sleep gathered on my eyelind (between) the lashes, and I think this contributed to the discomfort. Then I use protein remover once a week on both lenses plus I clean the lenses with cleaning solution and then into a peroxide system overnight.

I ahve been quite obsessive about lid hygeine and it has made a world of difference, my lenses now go in at 7 am and stay in until 10 o'clock or sometimes later. (managed 3am once, but that was bad eye day, later on!)

Hope this helps

[Matthew_]

Sorry, forgot to add, I use viscotears, these are great, quite gel-like but keep the eye moist for a good long while without blurring my vision for more than a couple of seconds.

[jojo19732009]

i have done the piggy back of lenses. i used blink intensive tears throughout the day to the point of a couple of bottles a week and i was advised to use lacralube eye ointment when i go to bed. its a bit of a pain but your eyes feel much better in the morning.

[Sweet]

Hi,

I have been piggy backing using a RGP and a plain 'NIght and day' lens for almost 8 years now in my right eye and find it fantastic! I can't tolerate my RGP lens on it's own.

I use 'Blink' contact lens drops throughout the day if my eyes are getting dry and I use Systane eye drops twice a day before putting lenses in and after taking them out. I was told at Moorfields recently that I can use Systane with lenses in, but after trying it once my lenses were smudged after five minutes. If I want to use some I take my lenses out, put a drop in and then put my lenses back in.

My main problem with piggy backing is my eye getting dry, so I try to make sure that I use the drops regularly. Twice I managed to take some of the corneal cells off my eye which was extremely painful. Consultant at Moorfields thinks that it was because my lenses were too dry as the fit is perfect and my eye hasn't changed shape. He suggested putting some saline in before taking my lenses out to make sure that I didn't pull my eye too much.

Take care and hoping things go better for you, love Claire Xxx

[Matthew_]

Sweet, you are kindred spirit, I too couldn't handle rgps on their own. My optometrist said its interesting because rgp intolerance is considered to be due to eye-lid sensation so piggy backing shouldn't make any difference.

[GrandPaClanger]

With you there Claire on peeling off the epithelium. Never known anything like it I managed to remove about 75% apparently when I tried PBing So you piggybackers keep them eyes moist.

Ian

[andytraill]

I use monthly night & days for the soft ones. If it drys out I take out the lenses and switch the soft lens for a "fresh" one(not new but just fully wet). PB is amazing but every so often it dries up and goes horrible.

[Sweet]

Moorfields told me that it is quite common! Very painful is all I can say and having done it in exactly the same place twice I am trying very hard not to do it again!! I honestly thought that the shape of my eye had changed and I needed a new lens fitting.

I know they tell you that piggy backing can dry your eyes out and can reduce oxygen through the lenses. What they should also tell you though is to make sure that your lenses are wet before you take them out!! Just removing a lens which has dried out can remove more than the soft lens!

I am only allowed to have monthly lenses because of the oxygen problem Shame really, but when piggy backing works it is a life saver