Cross Linking - my experience

[Claire Harrington]

Hi Everyone,

Just over a week ago I had Crosslinking treatment on my left eye at Moorfields Private Hospital.

I've been blogging about the whole experience, deciding on the treatment, hopes, fears, celebrating getting through it and some humour too.

If you'd like to read my chattering's on my Keratoconus journey you can find it here: http://harringtonbear.wordpress.com/ (You'll need to read from the bottom to get the story in the right order!)

I hope this helps and provides food for thought for anyone considering the treatment... If you read my most recent post on Inspired to Campaign, you will see I've set myself some goals regarding more involvement in the support group and campaigning for Keratoconus.

Any questions or comments gratefully received.

Claire

[Hayley]

Great blog Claire, thanks for the honest info...
I'm having CXL & T-CAT laser next month, very nervous, but your blog has given me an idea of what to expect.
Thanks again

[Nickysells1]

Great information. Many thanks for doing this

Can't decide whether it's a good idea or not for the one good ish eye I have

Good luck

[Rose]

Hi Nicky. There are many hard decisions to make about treatment but when I discussed having cross linking with my 18yr son who was diagnosed with KC last Christmas, his first response was that he wanted his 'good' eye done. It was not easy to find medics willing to treat an eye where the KC, in his case was sub-clinical, but we did and my son is very pleased that he hopefully will be preserving the good sight he has in one eye. I should add that he had his 'bad' eye done first. I am not sure if this helps but his thinking was that if the cross linking works he will retain good vision in one eye and as good as possible in the other.

[Nickysells1]

Unfortunately my dilemma is that of it did go wrong I have no sight at all in my other eye....!

[Nickysells1]

Hi Claire

Been keeping up with your blog and glad all is going well!

I'm going to see a chap in London about Femto pocket cxl as with one eye he feels this is the least invasive procedure possible

Fingers crossed!

[Bryan]

Hi all,

I just had the cross-linking proceadure done on my left eye on Wed 31st Oct, it was very uncomfortable for the first few days after treatment and slightly blurry. I had the bandage contact lens taken off on Sat morning, and the surgeon was very pleased with the healing.
It has only slightly been blurry, but with one drop of the anti-biotic drops im taking, the blur goes away. My vision in the treated eye is more or less back to the same vision it was before the treatment, heres hoping it improves slightly too ???
I also took close up photos of my eye side on, before treatment it was cone shaped, and now it seems spherical?
Having only had this treatment 5 days ago, it is looking good at the moment.

Bryan.

[munster]

My vision in the treated eye is more or less back to the same vision it was before the treatment, heres hoping it improves slightly too ???

My understanding is that CXL can't reverse the KC damage. Remember that KC is incurable and non-repairable.

The goal of CXL is to fix the cornea in its current state and strengthn the cornea from further progression. So i guess that its a good sign if your vision has returned to its original vision.

[dalbeath]

My vision in the treated eye is more or less back to the same vision it was before the treatment, heres hoping it improves slightly too ???

My understanding is that CXL can't reverse the KC damage. Remember that KC is incurable and non-repairable.

The goal of CXL is to fix the cornea in its current state and strengthn the cornea from further progression. So i guess that its a good sign if your vision has returned to its original vision.

Yes and No ... in some cases it can flatten the cone which results in a slight improvement in vision, I believe it's to do with the healing process . In my case there was a definite improvement in vision and I needed new lenses as a result of the cone being flatter

[Claire Harrington]

Hi Everyone,

Lovely to see the responses and hope those that have had the treatment too are experiencing limited blurring and fingers crossed for positive results!

I don't see my consultant in Bristol until Jan, so at the moment feel like I have no idea how it's gone, my vision is back to normal, so just a waiting game...

Claire