Quicktopic posts: Dec 2002

[TJStim2299@aol.com]

hi there, can someone tell me the difference between scleral lenses and softperm lenses, many thanks, Tim

[Sue Ingram]

Hi Tim, Hope the following answers your question:-

Softperm lenses are a half soft and half rigid lens; they are a rigid corneal lens in the middle with a soft lens skirt around the outside. This can help when people are having trouble wearing corneal lenses, although I believe the cornea cannot be too conical in shape, otherwise the soft part of the lens does not fit onto the eye properly. I also believe they are quite fragile and the soft part can often come away from the rigid part.

Scleral lenses are large lenses that cover the whole eye. They are made from rigid gas permeable material and usually need to be filled with physiological saline before being inserted in the eye. The advantages of sclerals are that they are more comfortable than rigid corneal lenses; due to their size, the eyelid does not catch the edge of the lens every time you blink; there is not usually any contact with the cornea; they cannot fall out (often happens with corneals when the cornea becomes very conical); it is not possible for any dust or grit to get behind them; they are often used post-graft when someone cannot wear corneal lenses any more. Only possible disadvantage is that the vision with sclerals can sometimes not be as good as with corneals due to there being no contact on the cornea. However, this is not the case for everyone, so sclerals do need to be tried in order to find out - this only takes a matter of minutes. If this is the case, then it is possible to bring bring the vision up by wearing glasses with the scleral lenses.

Have you checked out the KC Group website at http://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk?

Hope the above helps but please post another message if you need any more info. Are you wearing lenses at present? How long have you had KC for? Take care. SUE

[rosemary@umbilical.demon.]

Harpo wrote:

Just had my appointment with the eye doc. Not good news for me
really. He said that the hydrops had not improved. He also said normal conditions of hydrops takes about 2-3months to clear. He said mine though was a severe case of hydrops and would take
longer. Something like a large part of my cornea is
affected.

Oh crumbs, Harpo! that does sound like bad news. It certainly
sounds far nastier than any of my four hydropses. And the list
of drops sounds like a full-time job in itself!

Hang in there, man! - we're routing for you. I guess no-one
really knows how a hydrops will clear up until it has done, so
can only keep hoping for the best.

I know it sounds really silly to say "Please try to keep calm
and not panic" ... but I do hoe you can, somehow.

I hope your uni tutor is being sympathetic about this. Are they (or the SU welfare office) able to suggest anything practical,
eg. books on tape, or a reader, to hlep you cope with the
reduced vision??

DO have a peaceful and relaxing Christmas/holiday season - I
suppose you do at least have a good excuse for eating lots of
"comfort food".

Rosemary

--
Rosemary F. Johnson

[Barinder]

Thanks Sue (1237) for the advise........I am really hopeful after hearing that you have been able to to stay off the operating table inspite of having KC for the last 25 years. I have to see the docotor on monday and then I will let u know how much more have I lost with my eyesight...i am hopeful things will be fine.

Thanks & Regards,
Barinder

[John Smith]

Hi Harpo,

Sorry to read that your hydrops are continuing, and that you're having to take so many drops. A friend of mine wrote a little PC app. that blows a loud whistle and colours the screen (a different colour for each drop) at the appropriate times. You just tell it when you're awake, and it will even work out what times to sound the alarm so drops are evenly spaced throughout the day.

Let me know if you'd like a (free) copy of it, and I'll send you the details.

John

p.s. This offer is open to anyone with KC; it was a godsend to me, so I'm very happy to offer it around, copyright free.

> ------------------------------------------------------------
> From: harpomatrix@yahoo.co.uk Time: 06:38 AM
> Hi
>
> Just had my appointment with the eye doc. Not good news for me
> really. He said that the hydrops had not improved. He also said
> normal conditions of hydrops takes about 2-3months to clear. He
> said mine though was a severe case of hydrops and would take
> longer. Something like a large part of my cornea is affected.
>
> I then overheard him talking to a collegue and he said "so what
> should we do now>" This doc I have is like the best doc and is
> very well known. They talked for a bit and it sounded pretty
> serious.
>
> I guess they don't want to panic me just yet si they said come
> back in 4 weeks and we will see how it is.
>
> I've been put on lotads of drops cause of my infection prob too.
> Here's my drops and how often I have to take them:
>
> Dexomethason (Maxidex) - Right Eye - 4 Times a Day
> Sodium Chrloide (NaCL) - Right Eye - 4 Times a Day
> Cycloporin - Both Eyes - 2 Times a Day
> Nedocromil (Rapitil) - Both Eyes - 2 Times a Day
>
> Don't know how i'm gonna keep up with that with that.
>
> Just frightened about how long it will take for the hydrops to
> clear. Things are lookin worse now than they did yesterday.
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> From: TJStim2299@aol.com Time: 10:49 AM
> hi there, can someone tell me the difference between scleral
> lenses and softperm lenses, many thanks, Tim
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> From: Sue Ingram Time: 12:44 PM
> Hi Tim, Hope the following answers your question:-
>
> Softperm lenses are a half soft and half rigid lens; they are a
> rigid corneal lens in the middle with a soft lens skirt around
> the outside. This can help when people are having trouble
> wearing corneal lenses, although I believe the cornea cannot be
> too conical in shape, otherwise the soft part of the lens does
> not fit onto the eye properly. I also believe they are quite
> fragile and the soft part can often come away from the rigid
> part.
>
> Scleral lenses are large lenses that cover the whole eye. They
> are made from rigid gas permeable material and usually need to
> be filled with physiological saline before being inserted in the
> eye. The advantages of sclerals are that they are more
> comfortable than rigid corneal lenses; due to their size, the
> eyelid does not catch the edge of the lens every time you blink;
> there is not usually any contact with the cornea; they cannot
> fall out (often happens with corneals when the cornea becomes
> very conical); it is not possible for any dust or grit to get
> behind them; they are often used post-graft when someone cannot
> wear corneal lenses any more. Only possible disadvantage is
> that the vision with sclerals can sometimes not be as good as
> with corneals due to there being no contact on the cornea.
> However, this is not the case for everyone, so sclerals do need
> to be tried in order to find out - this only takes a matter of
> minutes. If this is the case, then it is possible to bring
> bring the vision up by wearing glasses with the scleral lenses.
>
> Have you checked out the KC Group website at
> http://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk?
>
> Hope the above helps but please post another message if you need
> any more info. Are you wearing lenses at present? How long
> have you had KC for? Take care. SUE
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> From: rosemary@umbilical.demon.co.uk (Rosemary F. Johnson)
> Time: 04:14 PM
> Harpo wrote:
>
> Just had my appointment with the eye doc. Not good news for me
> really. He said that the hydrops had not improved. He also said
> normal conditions of hydrops takes about 2-3months to clear. He
> said mine though was a severe case of hydrops and would take
> longer. Something like a large part of my cornea is
> affected.
>
> Oh crumbs, Harpo! that does sound like bad news. It certainly
> sounds far nastier than any of my four hydropses. And the list
> of drops sounds like a full-time job in itself!
>
> Hang in there, man! - we're routing for you. I guess no-one
> really knows how a hydrops will clear up until it has done, so
> can only keep hoping for the best.
>
> I know it sounds really silly to say "Please try to keep calm
> and not panic" ... but I do hoe you can, somehow.
>
> I hope your uni tutor is being sympathetic about this. Are they
> (or the SU welfare office) able to suggest anything practical,
> eg. books on tape, or a reader, to hlep you cope with the
> reduced vision??
>
> DO have a peaceful and relaxing Christmas/holiday season - I
> suppose you do at least have a good excuse for eating lots of
> "comfort food".
>
> Rosemary
>
> --
> Rosemary F. Johnson
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> _________________________________________________________________
> Start your own topic in 20 seconds: http://www.quicktopic.com |QT

[Anon]

SoftPerms are not that fragile. I have been using them since 1992 and only one has split within a two year period when I normally replace them. they just need to be handled a bit more carefully then RGP and require a strict hygiene routines - again not difficult. A lot of contact lens fitters don't like these as fitting is a bit of a black art as you cannot use fluorescein to check fit which you can with rigid types. They can be quite comfy for people who cannot otherwise (like me) tolerate RGP.

[harpomatrix@yahoo.co.uk]

4 weeks today

No Change

Sums up how I feel right now

[Clare Feary]

Hi Sue Ingram & Everyone else!!!
Just to let you know I went to see the optician today was I was referred to by my consultant at the hospital and for the first time in 15 years I feel so much happier about KC and lenses. He sat and listened to me when I explained that I couldn't tolerate RGP lenses and after trying on ten pairs of softer lenses we have found a pair that fit perfectly. So hopefully I will be picking these up mid January.
It was so nice to see an optician and not be told "ooh I don't see many of these or I have only seen this in a text book!!"
I am now feeling hopeful that a graft is a long, long way off and that next year I will be able to see my little on the stage when he is doing his Xmas play and not rely on my husband to guide me in the right direction.
A merry Xmas to everyone and a peaceful New Year

[freddy]

Susan and everyone else,
I really do recognise the experiences and the feelings you have had as your KC has developed. It is challenging! I remember the desparation about driving. My eyes deteriorated further and for me the need for a graft was inevitable apparently. I decided that I would seek the op sooner rather than later given this. It has taken a long time to recover but I am now fighting fit and I can wear my lenses readily, or glasses. THis gives me a freedom I certainly did not have prior to the op. So I guess I am saying hang on it there. This web site and message board is a fund of good advice and support, which certainly helped me get through it all.
Take care and have a peaceful holiday.
Freddy

[Laura]

Hello, I'd just like to wish everyone at the KC group a very merry christmas and a happy new year and I hope all goes well for u all. I'm going for my first appointment with the hospital consultant in the new year and hopefully will learn a bit more about my own eyes and what will happen for me in future. Talk to u all soon
Best Wishes Laura xx