Corneal Graft

[jayuk]

Bit of an update

Had my usual 4-6 week checkup.

All going well, cornea very clear and flat.

Did a refraction and got 6/12 and 3 letters on the 6/9 line which is extremely good; however I wont get excited till I get the correct Glasses refraction this week, (However I know this fluctuates every day so whilst this is VERY good news...I still dont think I can function on a day in day out basis until cornea settles - but am extremely pleased.).

Other eye playing silly buggers as well....wear a lens 2 days on 1 day off right now so I can actually work etc...so doing the best of a bad situation

Have informed work that I want a preference of working from home for next 5 months; although I do need to go into work around once a week and offsite meetings etc...but shall then do my lens/glasses swap exercise lol. Hope I get through this period without issues from work! as its amazing how colleague can react to this.

Another appt in 6 weeks, where 2 stitches will more than likely be taken out which appear to be tight.

Have 4 diopters astigmatism in the grafted eye which I am told is very good (although this can change with stitch removal)

J

[GarethB]

Hi Jay,

May have missed some of the posts, but as far as astigmatism changing when the stitches are out depends as you know on how strong the join between graft and old tissue is. I hope you have the same as I did in that the join was stronger than the stitches, so when the stitches were removed, no sight change. If your sight does change I hope it is for the better.

As for help with work to keep up the reading and research have you contacted Action for the Blind, RNIB and also the diasabilities officer at your local job centre? They really helped me 16 years ago when I started Uni and when I was 9 months post graft in the second eye when I was about to start an industrial placemnet working at government research labs.

Stevie Wonder is technically blind but I understand with reading aids he can read books etc. Remeber only about a third of people who qualify as blind see either black and nothing else or white and nothing else.

You have proved we are a resilient lot that once the right aids are in place, we can do our job as quick and as well as so called normally sighted people.

Regards

Gareth

[jayuk]

Gareth

Thanks for the post.

I see what you mean about the graft and stitch...I guess that depends on my healing and how strong the join is? From what I can understand there is always a change in vision (good or bad depends on how it was removed and where I guess)...was your changes that great? or minimal?

With regards to help from RNIB, thats a very good question. I do want to take this to the the limit as far as dealing with it myself....and I dont mean that from a selfish - heroism perspective; but rather to prove a point to myself I guess. But clearly if it gets to a stage where I really cannot deal with every day things..than Yes I shall get in touch with them 100% as thereafter I see NOT getting in touch; only being destructive to me.

The only intermittent issues I have right now, is seeing this laptop screen and also reading small text when I have the previous glasses (which I am hoping will now change)

I have also performed an exhaustive search for software for us people and narrowed it down to 2 EXCELLENT bits of software which are free but there soo good its hard to beleive its FREE!


http://magnifier.sourceforge.net/

Its kinda of similar to the Windows XP magnifier like software but MUCH better and made for us...and its FREE. An extremely valuable tool that I now always have runing minimised. I cant stress how this has helped me.....its completely configurable and you can change how much you wish to magnify on the screen etc. Top Tool....I would even go as far as to say its kinda of made it possible for me to work faster and better under the current circumstances

Another piece of software that I also use when I am completely lens and glasses less! is

http://www.issist.com/index.asp?page=iZoom

This software is just UNBELIEAVBLE for me. It reads the screen out, zooms and is SOO configurable its unreal...I like the way you can see the lens location and also read text out etc..all completely easy to install and get under way!

In fact, as its free I would go as far as possibly putting this on the KC site or a Link probably with there permission?...if anyone has issues on there PC try this and youll be a convert lol.

[GarethB]

Hi Jay,

Another thing that might be useful if you are using a laptop is another monitor. Access to work can help with this if your employer does not want to. At work a 19 inch monitor helps most of the time but you sound like you could do witha 21inch.

If you work for a small company, this makes the financial hit more bearable. Then with magnifying software you still do not have to move about the screen as much as a 17".

Regards

Gareth

[jayuk]

LOL..you know what!..Ive been looking at the 21inch Dual LCD panels!!.....Im bad!...and your making me worse now lol.

[jayuk]

Hey all

Bit of an update.

Now nearly 6 months Post Graft and today I had a surprising 12 stitches removed?!

Wasnt expecting that!....but I have healed very well and so my consultant didnt see the need of the single sutures anymore. So had them removed under the usual local anaesthetic in the eye, head on the Slit lamp, and dont blink routine.

Went really well! Cant really say what the visual change is, as from previous experience stitch removal genreallyl stabilises the Cornea in about 7-10 days time.

Since my last post, I have been solely using my grafted eye to function.....this has now been for the past 5 weeks!!...so again, thats really good news for me!!

Will update once I get refracted again in the grafted eye!

[GarethB]

Good news Jay,

I think there is a lot to say about using the grafted eye only as I think it tuffens it up more. The eye does have muscles around it and if exercised perform better like any other muscle.

One thing I would say and I am sure you are aware of this and that is to use the ungrafted eye where possible so it does not become lazy.

You are a goo advert for grafts

[Susan Mason]

Glad to hear your news J.

Hope in 7 to 10 days you have some more good news for us.

best wishes

Susan

[Dipesh]

Hey Jay,

Thats really good news........Glad things are going so well for you. You have been through alot on the last year or so.

Who'd have thought I've had my graft a month before you and still had no stiches taken out. Just goes to show how individuals body reacts. Its also good to see (no pun intended) all those vitamins you researched yourself and are taking have turely helped.

Lets not forget the Surgeon who did your operation.

Hope the refraction proves better.

[jayuk]

S/G/D

Thanks for your messages.

My recovery has really gone well..and I couldnt have asked for it to go better to be honest. However, I def aint taking it for granted as we all know what CAN happen and how things can turn the other way,

I was actualy asked on Friday what I was taking as my recovery has really increased...and looking at the current regime not alot has changed (well maybe a few things)

Protein Whey Concentrate - 150g/day

Selenium 200mcg - 1 tab / day
Vitamin C 1000mg with riboflavins - 4 tabs / day
Grape Seed Extract 100mg - 1 tab / day
Lycopene 10mg - 1 tab / day
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100mg - 2 tabs / day

Cell regeneration
AKG (alpha-ketoglutarate) - 8g / day
Pure Amino Acid Powder - 30g (15g x 2) (added June)
MSM - 5g (added June)

Green tea - 4 tea bags boiled and then I drink the tea of it.

As you can see, the only things added were the Aminos and the MSM and I have ramped up the Protein; and dropped the Glutamine..

Eye feels a hell of a lot better since havin those 12 stitches out I can say!.....I now just cant wait to get past the 10 month mark as thats when the chances of the initial rejection period ends (according to stats) and the chances decrease.......

Have a refraction this Saturday so will let ya know what I can see now!