How long have you had your graft?

[Louise Pembroke]

Out of curiosity, how long have members had their grafts? Anyone had theirs for 20 years or longer?
Anyone had theirs for 30 or 40 years?

[GarethB]

Not quite 20 years, the right eye was done in 1988 and the left eye in 1989.

The grafts are fine, just the cornea the right graft is attached to is having problems as it started to pull the graft out of shape 2 years ago.

Post 10 years graft followup information is very sketchy.

Regards

Gareth

[Sweet]

Aargghh can't even get to a year yet! LOL!! I had mine just over four months ago, so it is still very early days. But i know i need to be patient here, hehe, i'm listening!

Hoping to hear of good success stories here! Also it would be interesting what graft everyone has had done. Mine is a DALK, but i think that most here have had a full graft.

Sweet X x X

[John Smith]

Well, my graft is 4 years old next week (maybe it should have it's own party, with jelly and ice-cream!).

Unfortunately, it's not doing so well at the moment, but it does seem not quite so bad as it was three weeks ago so here's hoping. The consultant's opinion then though was that it was failing.

My graft was a full thickness "Penetrating Keratoplasty" and it was attached with a single running stitch. The stitch was in place for 2.5 years.

[Per]

My grafs are nearly six years and 1,5 months respectively. Still everything goes as planned. Had one rejection, since then it has been well. I know one person with a graft that healed well and he had it fixed post op with lasik and he has now a better vision than pre op. He did not suffer from keratoconus, but had an accident where the cornea was demaged.

My plans for the future: Full vision, no more glasses or contact lens mess. Optimist ?

[Louise Pembroke]

Yeah me full thickness too, those first 5 years seem to be crucial for the initial survival, but then survival is not the whole story. It's a long process isn't it.
Like the idea of graft parties! Can we have pass the parcel too? I think one day all us graftees should have a graft party, other transplant patients do.

[Louise Pembroke]

Per - optimist? full vision, no glasses/contacts, more like off your trolley!! Want to try my cyborg costume with occular implant?!! It's really cool - if you're a sci-fi nerd like me.
I like to imagine I'm in Star Trek in the future and my eyes are simply replaced in 5 mins with no pain and choice of eye colour. Forgive my humour Per!

[Per]

Very nice idea! Would have to find a nice pub and a nigtclub close to Moorfields then, wouldn`t we ?

[Louise Pembroke]

I think we should persuade Moorfields to let us have it there! We might need to drop the mirrored disco ball and strobe lights though!

[John Smith]

I like to imagine I'm in Star Trek in the future and my eyes are simply replaced in 5 mins with no pain and choice of eye colour. Forgive my humour

Or of course, you could end up with TV Geordi - who ended up "seeing" through a clip-on headband!