UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

About seven weeks ago, I had a cornea transplant in my right eye. I was wondering how the healing process goes. About three weeks ago the doctor removed three sutures and my vision got worse, is this normal? I know my vision is supposed to change over the next year, but will it get better with the removal of more sutures? The last time I was there the doctor said it looked really good and was very clear. Any advice would be great.

I wanted to ask the question about the transplant first before telling my journey with KC. When I was 17 I was diagnosis with KC. I found this out after being DQ from the military. I never knew I had an eye problem. My goal after high school was to join the military, but I was unsuccessful with many waivers and letters to Congress.

My family eye doctor gave me a lot of encouragement and fitted me for RGP lens. That process was long and painful. However, today I have no problems wearing my lens in my left eye.

So, I went to college. Since I was young I wanted to be a police officer. I knew my vision had to improve for me to become a cop. I met with a surgeon this past spring to have an intact placed in my right eye. I had the surgery done in the summer. The surgery did not work. My vision did not improve and corrected lens did not help.

Then I made the decision to get a cornea transplant in my right eye. I had this done in January. So far so good. However, my vision was better before I had a few sutures removed. My goal is get a least 20/100 uncorrected in my right eye. This is the uncorrected requirement to become a police officer. I was able to achieve this before the sutures were removed, but I cannot now. With refraction I can achieve about 20/25 in my right eye.

My left eye has KC, but not as bad. I currently have about 20/40 uncorrected vision and 20/25 corrected vision. So, that meets the requirement for law enforcement.

I hope my vision improves soon. I will be graduating in May from college. I am beginning to take some agility test to become a police officer. I just hope my vision will be ready for my medical exam. Good luck to everyone!

medank2003

When the doctor took out your sutures the astigmatism in your eye will have changed. This should explain the change in your vision. When further sutures are removed, your doctor will be trying to control the changing astigmatism so that the new cornea will take a more or less "normal" shape.

All the best with your ambition to serve in the Police. This is a high calling, and a vitally important vocation.

Yours aye

Andrew

Hi Medank

You found out the same way I did over 20 years ago but I was going for the RAF. Medical was last for me because I had been in a fight playing Rugby so they said I could do the other assesments first. The discussions prior to the medical was to persuade me to change my application so it said I had a special interest in becoming pilot. They bere gob smacked after the medical to find I out performed most applicants in the multi task tests for pilot when my vision was rubish.

Regarding vision change, yes it can get worse when individual sutures are removed or better. At this stage they are trying to control the astigmatism during the healing process. Plus you brain is still getting used to seeing through a full thickness cornea rather than a thinning distorted one.

For vision to stabalise depending on graft type can be between 6 months to 2 years. My full vision both times (corrected) did not come until the 9 month mark then went down hill again when all sutures removed at 12 months. After a month the vision stabilised again and corrected vision with glasses was perfect.

It is still early days and your concerns are only natural.