KC and Dry Eye?

[Abbey]

I was wondering do the 2 go together?
I was diagnosed with KC in March but also have Dry Eye.
Or do I just have Dry Eye and no KC?
I have heard undiagnosed Dry Eye can lead to vision loss, would this only occur with chronic Dry Eye or include mild cases as well.
Also how long after being dianosed with KC are you supposed to move to contacts?
My vision is -3 in my right and -9 (I think these are the correct terms) in my left and I am still managing with glasses.

[Andrew MacLean]

Hi and welcome to the forum

quite a lot of people with KC also have dry eye. Indeed there is a known association between KC and a range of atopic conditions and responses.

as to the time between diagnosis and progression to contact lens wear, the solution is the same as the chestnut about the length of a piece of string. It depends.

KC progresses at different rates in different people. I was in my thirties before I progressed to lenses (although looking back I ought to have been wearing them a year or two sooner).

Makes sure that your specialist sees your eyes regularly. If you can manage with glasses, you may not need lenses yet. but if the time comes when glasses do not give you driving vision, then the time may have come to start wearing contacts.

Andrew

[GarethB]

Hi Abbey

There are many with KC, I think about a third or more that never get to the point of wearing contact lenses. Less than 8% get to the point where surgery is necessary.

The plus side is that KC can stop progressing as quick as it starts. Mine has been stable for nearly 2 years now.

Not all people with KC have dry eye, the forum is getting more balanced between the extreme KC cases and the more typical cases where KC is adequatly managed using contact lenses.

Environmental conditions too can cause dry eye such as aircon, personal health etc so all these need to be checked out too. It is always best to treat the cause rather than the symptom.

Regards

Gareth