UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Firstly, I was wanting to know if anybody has experienced corneal abrasions and have corneal scars. I have corneal scarring in my left eye and it makes contact lens wear with RGPs quite sore sometimes, and very sensitive to light. I was wondering if anybody else experiences such difficulties with corneal scarring.


Secondly, I have been having my exams recently, and have had to keep my lenses in for about 16 or even 17hours a day recently. I visited the eye clinic a couple of weeks back and they informed me that there seems to be a high degree of "corneal staining" in my eyes- apparently to do with the amount of oxygen reaching my eyes. I was told it is due to my lens wear period and also the material of the RGPs... however, I have a maths exam tomorrow and have had to keep my lenses in for long again in the last few days. Today my right eye has been quite sore, no redness, just pain. My other eye seems to be fine. Could anyone tell me if this has got anything to do with the corneal staining, or is it just due to how long I have had my lenses in for?

Thanks in advance.

Amarpal

Hard to say to be honest, but over wearing lenses is never good in any case. Corneal Scarring occurs for a number of reasons; both from a KC advancing perspective and also from Contact Lens wear.

The affects of overwearing lenses can be anything from sorness, or actuall corneal swelling.....it just depends on the reason of the stimulus.

Corneal Staining is basically mild corneal abrasions which do actually occur to alot of CL wearers....but bear in mind that it also increases the risk of potential infection. The reason you may be having this is due to irrgular lens cleaning or KC related lens issues (new fit etc)

If in doubt, rotate the lenses from one eye to the other. What I mean by this is wear one lens in one eye for a day, then change to the next eye with the other lens.....this will allow you to function....remeber that we get abour 82% of our vision from ONE eye...so there is no reason why you can not function with vision from one eye

I would also consider seeing your CL fitter as it could be that the lenses need a fitting change?...Material issues?...KC advancing....etc etc
....reasons would be endless...

Whilst the cornea surface is a fast healing part of the body, you def do not want to overabuse it with too much lens wear

HTH

Jay

Ok, thanks alot.

I have not got any new cleaning techniques or new lenses etc, so I assume its just due to wearing the lenses for too long. The clinic is due to send me out some new lenses, I went two weeks ago- they should be arriving in the next couple of days.

I will try wearing one lens at a time- I have one in at the moment, I just find it hard to read with only one lens in.

Thanks again

Amarpal

It will take a while for the brain to adjust to seeing from one eye...some it takes a few days , others can take a few months.....but I think the benefits of leaving the affected eye lens free far outweight the risks

HTH

Jay

Amarpal,

If you need to see out of one eye ASAP, cover the other eye, the brain will see clearer that way and you can ignore black fromt eh coverd eye quicker than you can adjust.

You are exhibiting classic lens over wear. Comfort drops help but the only cure is to cut back the lens wear.

When I was revising all my notes were on tape so lenses were only worn for exams, not that they stayed in for the duration of the exam because they kept falling out.

Your examiners should be aware you have KC so that you do not have to suffer excessive lens wear to revise and do the exams.

There used to be a link from this site regarding over wearing lenses titels Good Eye Day/Bad Eye Day.

GarethB wrote:There used to be a link from this site regarding over wearing lenses titels Good Eye Day/Bad Eye Day.

There still is

Follow this link.

John,

You have more time on your hands than I

Amarpal now I am back from work just had a quick look at my old diary. To help ease eye strain I would do half hour revision and then 10 minutes break. By break, no watching tv or surfing the net as this too causes a eye strain. The thing is to find a short distraction to help rest the eyes.

The average human attention span is 30 - 45 minutes so keeping to this with reegular braks means you can take in more information in a shorter time frame. It has been shown that most people do not learn any more my spendinga solid hour revising compared to someone who has spent an hour. The brain does not get bored so quick in the next session.

Arampal

I know that exams are a bad time for contact lens wear.

Staining will probably clar up after a bit.

If at all possible I'd try to take my lenses out between papers. Put some liquid tears in if possible and after about half an hour or an hour you could replace your lenses.

All the best with the maths.

Andrew

Thank you Jay, Gareth and Andrew.

Thanks for all your advice. This is the first day I have worn only one lens for a whole day since I started wearing them a few years back. I think it's going to take a little getting used to. I am using your advice for half an hour study 'chunks'- seems to be working, my eyes don't get so tired. I have never tried using eye drops before, but I have read alot about them on this site, and I think I will try using them to try to soothe the eyes.

Arampal

Do well in your exams.

All the best

Andrew