Worried about the graft

[Richard In Wales]

I'm worried about the graft I'm going to have in 6 weeks. It may seem odd but I'm concerned about getting CJD from the donor cornea.

Anyone have any advice on this at all ?

Thanks

[GarethB]

CJD is cause by small proteins called prions which are found in nerve tissue, especially spinal cord and the brain. The cornea has no nerve endings or blood supply which is why you do not need tissue matching like other organ donations.

Therefore risk of CJD in my opinion is ZERO.

Have the graft, look to the future and enjoy life and while you are recouperating, hopefully no sadistic friend will give you a Rubiks cube to do. Nurses do not like it if you ask how well you have done with it, mine got taken from me in 1989 when I had my first graft and I never got it back!

Good luck

[Richard In Wales]

Many thanks for the reply thats a good part of putting my mind to rest, specially after the news today of the blood transfusion service admission of problems they have discovered.

[John Smith]

CJD is cause by small proteins called prions which are found in nerve tissue, especially spinal cord and the brain. The cornea has no nerve endings or blood supply which is why you do not need tissue matching like other organ donations.

Not entirely sure you're right, Gareth. I think that when I had my graft, I was told that the donor cornea was screened for CJD. Also, I know that my optician now has to throw away any trial contact lens that's been in a patient's eye "just in case" of CJD.

[Rob Armstrong]

I remember asking my optician about the whole CJD and test lenses thing a while back, and also asking in the run-up to my graft.

They are screened I believe, and although corneas contain no blood vessels, I'm not so sure about the lack of nerves - the sensation in my grafted eye is notable in its absence. Upon mentioning this at the hospital, I was even told that in some cases the nerves may begin to join up as the cornea heals, restoring partial feeling to that part of the eye.

I doubted it at the time, but at my last hospital visit I definitely felt the poke in the eye when they tested the pressure, so you never know.

Rob.

[GarethB]

Nerves are funny things, the pressure in the eye is mainly felt in the nerves in the eye ball itself, but they have the ability to know the direction the pressure came from, so when pressure is measured in the eye, you can feel the poke as the pressure momentarily changes. One of Newtons Laws of physics, pressure briefly applied to the eye to measure the back pressure, 'everything has an equal and opposite reaction'.

I must admit my corneas were not screened for CJD, but in the late '90's it was known about and the scientific papers I get on the subject at work mention nothing about CJD in transplant organs. The fact that it is screened for is probably a precaution as more is learnt about the subject which can only be a good thing.

Better than looking for the problem after it has occured.

Hope I have not confused anyone.

[Dave Dale]

I find that very interesting Gareth. The bit aboutthe eye pressure check makes sense as I have wondered how a jet of air to the front of the eye ball can measure the internal pressure.

Do you know if the technology exists to scan/view the muscles and nerves that are at the rear of the eye, in the back of the socket and the temple area I guess I am talking about?

I only ask as for months now I have had severe pain behind/around eye ball and socket area, with worrying blue/red flashing lights and a strange change in my vision, as if my left eye is always seeing things as if it were crossed into my nose. Many examinations and even a MRI scan of my brain have found nothing...just wondering if the nerves/muscles can be damaged and indeed viewed for such problems?

Cheers,

Dave.