Assistance to function at work

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claire40
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Joined: Sat 10 Jun 2017 6:27 am
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Contact lenses

Assistance to function at work

Postby claire40 » Tue 13 Jun 2017 2:50 pm

I am hoping to get some advice from others about what has helped you to continue to do your job with KC?
I have recently changed jobs 18 months ago and now I am struggling with a visually intensive job and realising that KC is making this more of a challenge. I am working with my employer to find out about what aides I can use to help. I currently use RGPs but have allergies which can make them uncomfortable and have much poorer vision with glasses.

Do humidifiers help and can you recommend a certain type?
Does any one use any software or recommend any particular programme?
Has anyone found a certain type of lightbulb or desklamp that can help?

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

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DigiKera
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Joined: Fri 12 May 2017 2:26 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and good vision
Location: Israel

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby DigiKera » Tue 13 Jun 2017 6:36 pm

Dear Claire,

If RGP's are too of a hassle for long-term use for you, then you might want to try with your optometrist other types of contact lenses for special circumstances, such as extensive long-term use. I have heard wonders of Kerasoft IC, and other options, although you might have to trade visual acuity in exchange of comfort. Another option is to consult with your opthamologist about possible treatment to improve your uncorrected visual acuity so that you might be able to work and do other activities without contact lenses, apart perhaps from driving or watching TV. All those options you should consider and evaluate. Hope that helps.

Best regards,
DigiKera.
Left:
CXL
T-CAT PRK
Mini ASRK

Right:
Penetrating keratoplasty (full graft)
Wavefront-optimized PRK

---

Uncorrected: 20/30
Corrected with spectacles: 20/15

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Anne Klepacz
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Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby Anne Klepacz » Tue 13 Jun 2017 7:46 pm

Hi Claire,
Have you found the leaflets about KC and work that you can download from our home page? www.keratoconus-group.org.uk/sitev3/publications.html
They mention Access to Work, the scheme that can help people with a health problem at work, doing a workplace assessment and recommending what would help you in your particular situation. And Action for Blind People (which despite its name deals with all sort of eye problems) has employment advisors in most of the major cities in the UK, so do look at their website www.actionforblindpeopleorg.uk and see which branch is nearest to you. There's also a video of a talk AFBP employment advisors gave at one of our conferences - it's on You Tube but there's also a link from this site which I'll look up in a minute.
I hope that helps.
Anne

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Anne Klepacz
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Joined: Sat 20 Mar 2004 5:46 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby Anne Klepacz » Tue 13 Jun 2017 7:51 pm


claire40
Newbie
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Posts: 2
Joined: Sat 10 Jun 2017 6:27 am
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Contact lenses

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby claire40 » Thu 15 Jun 2017 6:40 pm

Thank you DigiKera and Anne for your suggestions.
I have an appointment soon so I will ask about alternatives to RGPs but it is interesting to hear that this may be at the cost of visual acuity.

Thank you also Anne, the leaflets have been particularly useful. I have been able to use these in discussion with my Line Manager.

I was diagnosed very late (in my late 30's) and not sure what options there might be surgically, from what limited research I have done I was under the impression that it is more likely to be successful with younger eyes. please correct me if I am misinformed!

I will look at the You Tube Video.
Thank you, I appreciate the advice and support.

Claire

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Anne Klepacz
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Posts: 2265
Joined: Sat 20 Mar 2004 5:46 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby Anne Klepacz » Thu 15 Jun 2017 6:56 pm

Hi again, Claire.
If you're talking about collagen crosslinking, then yes, that's usually only offered to young people because KC tends to stabilise around the age of 40 as the cornea becomes more rigid as it ages. So the good part of that is that hopefully you won't find your KC progressing very much if at all. Digikera is right, there are various lenses for KC these days. As I said in reply to another post, if you'd like our information booklet with the options described, just e-mail your postal address to anne@keratoconus-group.org.uk and I'll send you one. I'm glad the leaflets helped.

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DigiKera
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Joined: Fri 12 May 2017 2:26 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and good vision
Location: Israel

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby DigiKera » Fri 16 Jun 2017 2:26 pm

Dear Claire,

Like Anna said, as we age and due to UV exposure, the cornea becomes stronger and the keratoconus stops progressing. That's around the age of 40, so it's very likely that in your case it's halted. However, everybody is difference, and for some the disease stops very early, and in other cases it continues further than 40. For that reason, I think it's best to look up your topographic scan (if you had) and compare them to older ones, so you could decide whether or not cross-linking is relevant to your case.

As for the visual acuity-comfort tradeoff in contact lenses, it's NOT always the case. First of all, when it comes to visual acuity, studies demonstrate that in mild and moderate keratoconus, the results are very compare able, and Kerasoft even superior due to less staining on the cornea. If your keratoconus is severe, then that's another story, and in that case your could try other contact lenses, such as hybrid and scleral lenses. If these kind of contact lenses can't provide similar or better comfort in comparison to your current ones, then, a very good option is the Europa Scleral using sMap3D topographic maps, although very few optometrists are trained to fit them. If on the expensive side, then the best option would be wavefront-adjusted scleral, such as the Laserfit and the EyePrintPRO, which provide to most patients a visual acuity of 20/15 or even better, including in severe cases. The issues with these lenses are availability (only in the USA), and costs (approximately $4000 for the Laserfit as far as I'm concerned.

Regarding surgical options - as said, provided your cornea is stabilized, there are many surgical options, such as ring segments, micro incisions, etc.. In order to evaluate what can be done, you need to check your cornea parameters, such as thickness, irregularities rate, etc. You might want to check that out with your opthamologist.

Best wishes,
DigiKera.
Left:
CXL
T-CAT PRK
Mini ASRK

Right:
Penetrating keratoplasty (full graft)
Wavefront-optimized PRK

---

Uncorrected: 20/30
Corrected with spectacles: 20/15

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Bulls Eye
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Joined: Sat 29 Apr 2017 5:35 pm
Keratoconus: Yes, I have KC
Vision: Graft(s) and contact lenses

Re: Assistance to function at work

Postby Bulls Eye » Sun 02 Jul 2017 9:37 pm

Hi Claire,

Sorry to read about your difficulties at work with the progression of your KC. Presumably like most office workers now you are sat in front of a VDU all day. You should take half hour breaks and keep blinking however as your eyes become more tired it does become more difficult. As KC progresses from moderate to advanced you will start to get severe headaches like I did. Keep pushing yourself and ignoring your body and brain like I did and you may end up checking in at your A&E hospital depatment and being kept in on an Acute ward for monitoring.

You must be assertive especially if you have an uncaring corporate employer who treat their staff as human resources - slaves. The reality is as your KC progresses you will have to take more time off work and some employers wont tolerate this.

Employers are supposed to do annual VDU risk assessments. Few do. Has your employer?
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/media/departm ... -hsg90.pdf

What happened when you gave your line manager the KC leaflet guide to employers. What action did they take?

My advice to you is to make sure you do all coms with your employer in writing and put it securely in a file. So when you gave them the leaflet you should have issued it with a memo dated and signed it.

I would advise you to make an appointment with your GP and discuss with them your problems and concerns. If it is causing any mental health problems - anxiety and/or depression tell them. They will prescribe medication but politely refuse it and ask for counselling or therapy instead.
If they suggest medication ask them to inform you of any negative side effects - dehydration, headaches, fatigue. Request that your GP copies you in to any correspondence sent to referrals and that the response is copied to you.

Do the same with your optometrist and consultant opthalmologist.

Get Access to work in at your place of work.

Digikera your posts are interesting and results of your surgery impressive. It looks like KC treatment in Israel is better and more advanced than in the UK.


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