New comer from China asking

[Bannerx]

Hello, everyone, it's really excited to find this forum! I'm from China where there's no alike forums the KC patetients could talk in.
I was diagnosed with KC for more than ten years. Due to several reasons I didn't take contact lens nor graft. My left eye has a poor vision like blind, my right eye is better with glasses, but vision fluctuates a lot day from day. As a whole my vision stayed stable for last 5 years. Now I'm thinking about RGP lens for right eye and graft for left eye.But I do have some worries. The hospital only did one transplant operation 3 days ago, the op looks good but not sure.
Anyway I'm on the waiting list, I come here to get some relief and say Hello, will exchange experiences with you later.

And I would like to know if there're any pateients from China too ?

Best regards

[GarethB]

Welcome to the forum.

Like you without corrected sight I am blind in one eye, however with an RGP lens I get full 20/20 vision. So the fact you are blind without correction is no reason for a graft.

Lens technology has come a long way since you were first diagnosed, so give the lens option a go first would be my advice.

Regards

Gareth

[Andrew MacLean]

Bannerx

Welcome to the forum. Where in China?

What are services for people with Keratoconus like in China. In the UK we have a range of management options for the condition: contact lenses of various types, through different surgical interventions all the way through to two types of corneal graft.

For the first part of my experience with keratoconus, I had very good eyesight with contact lenses. For reasons I have never understood my eyes became unable to tolerate contact lenses so I have had a corneal graft in one eye and am waiting for a graft in my other eye.

Do you have access to a wide range of contact lenses in your part of China? I am afraid that for many of us in the UK and in other parts of the world, access to contact lenses is limited by the expertise of optometrists.

Stay in touch.

Andrew

[Bannerx]

Thank you Gareth, I think I need try lens first. The docotor just inspected my left eye and determined that the contact lens didn't work for me. I didn't even have a try.
In recent years in China, the investigatin on KC has been carried out more and more, now the services we can expect are contact lens,graft. But the lens is limited in brands. And some patients have to go through a lot of hospitals to be finally diagnosed with KC.

Thanks all for informations!
Banner

[Bannerx]

Hi Gareth,
I did try lens on my left eye, it's just a trial lens for new users (not designed for my eye), it really help a lot, far more than my expectation, although I can only see the top three line on the vision graph. But the docotor sitll suggests me to take graft. If I show you my cornea relief map, could you pls have a look and advise to take the transplant or not?
Thanks
Banner

[GarethB]

I am not an optometrist so completly unqualified to interpret such things.

The best way to get a second opinion is to see another eye specialist as it is more than just topography that determines if a graft is necessary.

The final decision regarding a graft is up to you.

I know a few in the UK that can no longer have sight corrected with contact lenses of any type but still do not want a graft and they have an active andd fulfilled life registerd blind.

Regards

Gareth

[Andrew MacLean]

Bannerx

One of the problems we have is that we have no knowledge of the Chinese system of health care, nor of the distribution of specialists in your country.

Your Ophthalmologist will take into account more than just the topography of your cornea in deciding whether to recommend a graft.

In the United Kingdom, consultant practices vary from place to place, so that in one part of our relatively small nation the advice given will be different from that given in another part.

Is it practical for you to seek a second Ophthalmologist opinion?

Andrew

[Lynn White]

Hi Banner

As Andrew says, there may be other reasons why the doctor is suggesting a graft. One thing I could suggest is to ask the doctor whether there is any medical reason for a graft. If there is not and the graft is an attempt to get you better vision, then you can explain you would just like to try the RGP lens fro a while first.

Lynn