UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

I went to get my first pair of contact yesterday after being diagnosed in January. I tried them on and they were totally wrong I couldn't see even after waiting nearly half an hour. So we tried some different lenses and none seemed to work my left eye had always been my weaker eye I have very poor vision in it but with a contact in I could see perfect but my right eye suddenly became impossible to see out of even after lots of different sight test we couldn't find a lens that I could see from. So the solution that was thought up was having a lens for my left eye and glasses for my right. Which seems to defeat the point of contacts? Had anyone else had to do this? She also told me that it would be better for my eyes not to have lenses. So now I'm very confused as to what will be best. Are contacts actually worth all this hassle?

Hi Emma Jayne,

I'm sorry to hear that your first contact lens appointment did not go as well as you would have hoped. Unfortunately fitting contact lenses for keratoconus is not straightforward and it is not unusual to need several appointments before both the patient and the optometrist are happy with the lenses. This can be extremely frustrating both for the patient and the optometrist.

Emma_Jayne wrote: So the solution that was thought up was having a lens for my left eye and glasses for my right. Which seems to defeat the point of contacts?

Yes, there are people who do this and this is a recent thread on the subject:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16109

Emma_Jayne wrote: Are contacts actually worth all this hassle?

Contact lenses are definitely worth the hassle if you are not happy with the vision glasses give you and contact lenses can give you better vision. So when you get your lenses do follow the optometrist instructions about how to wear you lenses and to see if they improve your vision.

Do let us know how you get on,

Lia

You say you tried lens at your appointment but do you mean through proper testing glasses-type-things... sorry I don't know the real name for them! Because with simply trying different contact lens that were to hand are unlikely to get you great vision, until you get something properly ordered in for you.

My brother has one contact lens and glasses. I have two contact lenses and then wear glasses as well for reading.
I think it's whatever you need to get the best vision. I was diagnosed in something like 1965.