Scleral lens

[Andrew MacLean]

They may take the lens from you and drill a hole (they rather like to call it a fenestration) in it so that you get a better transfer of oxygen. I'd not wait until I had another regular appointment, but I would phone the clinic and arrange to be seen earlier.

All the best

Andrew

[dazzabee]

Thanks for your advice guys. I went to the clinic yesterday and spoke with "the top dog" there. He advised me to take the lens out when I get the mistyness - which is apparantly only slight. He thinks I may be able to wear it longer and longer each day over time.

He has brought my appointment forward from June until April and we will see then.

Thanks for all your advice.

[red-eye]

Hope I'm not thread jacking here...

Dazzabee, like you I wear an RGP lens in 1 eye and have done for a few years. I have also noticed my eye lid dropping, its not by much but its noticeable compared to the other eye.

Few questions if anyone knows. How far can this progress, is this all down to the lens, for example when you had taken your lens out Daz, would your lid return to normal, and finally Is there a technical term for this?

Hope the scleral lens works out for you.

Many thanks.

[rosemary johnson]

Andrew - little holes in sclerals I remember well. But that was inthe days of PMMA (Perspex) lenses.
They don't generally do them now that scleral lenses are made out of RGP polymers (the same os the little corneal lenses).
Reasons?- first that the gas permeability of the Rigid Gas Permeable materials replaces them (and has over-all effect not lovalised to a small air hole.
Also, air holes can mean air bubbles under the lens. Because the RGP materials is, at the microscopic level, "rougher" than the PMMA surface, the RGP lenses fit further off the eye than the old PMMA ones necessarily did, hence the greater fluid reservoir behind them, and the need to fill them with saline and put them in with your face pinting downwards and make sure there's not an air bubble in sight. Fenestrations would upset that.
Well, that as I understand it, is the theory.......!
I've said to Ken years ago that some day he'll be making me an RGP scleral with air holes in it. Maybe one of these days I'll convince him to try it!
Rosemary

[dazzabee]

Rosemary that is what I was told re: the fenestration. I also got told that due to the thickness of my lens (which is as such to open my eye up) it would not be possible anyway. Either way, day by day the mistyness appears to be easing off although I still get the rainbows after four hours.

With regards to your question red-eye: My eye lid remained the same, i.e. half closed, after I took the RGP out and indeed closes up when I take my new scleral out. The scleral though really does open it up and both eyes looks the same. In fact a friend tonight, who has seen me for the first time with sclerals in, said to be I look strange (in a good way!) without my "dippy eye". He then felt guilty but he said it was part of me. Anwyay, his point was is that it really makes a massive difference both cosmetically, and more importantlly for me, for my vision. I have been told there is no scientic proof that RGP lenses can cause Ptosis (that is the name of the eyelid dipping) but there is a strong argument that wearing RGP's and Ptosis are linked - if that makes sense?

[rosemary johnson]

Glad to hear the mistiness is easing.
I'll go on hoping for you that as you get more used to the scleral, then it will take longer and longer to get less and less misty and the rainbows will hold off longer too.
I'll also hope that, when I finally get off the glaucoma drops (which make my grafted eye red and sore so I don't feel like trying the lens again!) then I'll be able to build up the wear time longer and longer without the mist and rainbows coming back.
Do keep us posted as to how it goes.
Roseamry

[dazzabee]

Hello all.

An update on my scleral lenses.

My left eye, the worst affected by KC and have had no lens of any kind in before I can now see out of for the first time with 5/6 vision. Utterly amazed and the scleral lens is giving me zero problems.

My right eye - the mistyness has now completely gone, I still get rainbows which indicates the time when I need to take it out but the wear period seems to lengthen everyday and today, for example, I have worn it for 8 hours. Furthermore, the Ptosis (dipping of the eyelid) caused by several years of wearing the RGP has been eradicated by wearing the sceleral and I now have two fully open eyes, which comestically is great but having my right open has also improved my vision to 6/6.

I really cannot explain how thankful I am to Moorfields, namely Ken who is a living legend! I hope he does not mind me mentioning his name on here, but for all his help, positive attitude and no-end of knowledge astounds me. No doubt he will tell me he is just doing his job but for me, his job has changed my life. So thanks to Ken immensely.

I would recommend scerlal lenses every time and as long you are willing to perservere and accept that miracles do not happen overnight, as with any lens I am sure, the results are incredibly favourible. I may have been made redundant recently and frustrated by the job market, but my eyes are making me smile ... a lot.

All the best,

Jay

[rosemary johnson]

Jay, that's great news!
I'm so glad you're getting on well witht he sclerals now. The vision sounds really impressive, and am so glad the mistiness problems are wearing off.
I'm sure no-one minds you singing Ken's praises on here (that's very different from being critical of certain other people).
If you're able to get to the group meeting later this month, I'm sure Ken will have a glass of white wine with you inthe pub afterwards, too!
Rosemary