DEEP ANTERIOR LEMELLAR WOULD BE PATIENT

[jack]

Hello All,

This is my first day here after a visit to the top Cornea surgeon in Bangkok today evening.
She suggested that i undergo (DALKP) DEEP ANTERIOR LEMELLAR KERETO PLASTY.

Then I logged on & found this site & theerfore would like to know if any one did this & what is the advice / suggestions.

I had a RK when i was 14 yrs when my mom pulled me to her friend who just returned froM Russia who promised a magic cut in eyes wth his special knife & off with specs "for life"

AaS! thast wasnt true as I can see.. & here I am now being suggested this as the only option as no contact lens or glasses can hlp improve my short sight in th eleft eye..

Am so curious & stunned to know i need a donor cornea... etc

Any one out there ..

JackDALKP prospect
Bangkok

[Andrew MacLean]

jack

Welcome to the forum.

I have had two grafts; the first was PK (Penetrating Keratoplasty), and my second was DALK.

The time it takes for a DALK to heal is longer than a PK, but the risk of rejection is reduced to virtually nil with the DALK.

I am sorry that you had a bad experience with RK; this is a procedure that is practically never carried out in the UK. One thing you need to keep in mind is that you are in control of your treatment. A DALK will not cure Keratoconus. but when other options have failed or been exhausted, it is an option for the management of the advanced condition.

All the best.

Andrew

[donna]

Hello Jack, you have come to the right place for good advice

[jack]

Dear Andy,

Thanks a tonne to be of such great support in tim eof need.
I was wondering if you could give me any idea of the exact costs involved in your case maybe coz I am sort of confused with quotes I am getting from the local best eye hospital in Bangkok & Singapore.
Also is the color of teh graft & match of tissue etc well taken care of.
Did you ever have post op trauma/pain or heavy medication ( cz my liver is weak & i cant take too many medicines in a day )

Whats your vision now? Do you use ocntacs /specs &whats the power of these,
Your advice at thi sstage will be most sought after.

Thanks again mate

Jack
Bangkok

jack

Welcome to the forum.

I have had two grafts; the first was PK (Penetrating Keratoplasty), and my second was DALK.

The time it takes for a DALK to heal is longer than a PK, but the risk of rejection is reduced to virtually nil with the DALK.

I am sorry that you had a bad experience with RK; this is a procedure that is practically never carried out in the UK. One thing you need to keep in mind is that you are in control of your treatment. A DALK will not cure Keratoconus. but when other options have failed or been exhausted, it is an option for the management of the advanced condition.

All the best.

Andrew

[Andrew MacLean]

Jack

I had my surgery (both times) on the British National Health Service, so there was no cost to me. Also, I subsequently had a cataract removed and lens implanted into my right (PK) eye.

After all these adventures, I have very good sight in my right eye. With correction I am seeing better than 20/20 (I need to wear glasses). My left eye still has 16 sutures, so it is too early to say what the recovery of sight has been in my DALK eye.

I am sorry I could not be of more help about costs; but I am grateful for the 'free at the point of use" policy in UK healthcare.

Andrew

[jack]

Thats lucky for you coz just for your info it maycost above USD10000 here apart from hospital stay & post op expensese.
Do they put you on lot sof medications coz as i said i am weak on my liver ?
WHAt syour profession? & can i talk to your over phon eif you dont mind ,ofcourse at your convienient time & day coz theres so much i have to ask & its alway sbetter i did that face to face but on phone will do..

Worried,
Jack

Jack

I had my surgery (both times) on the British National Health Service, so there was no cost to me. Also, I subsequently had a cataract removed and lens implanted into my right (PK) eye.

After all these adventures, I have very good sight in my right eye. With correction I am seeing better than 20/20 (I need to wear glasses). My left eye still has 16 sutures, so it is too early to say what the recovery of sight has been in my DALK eye.

I am sorry I could not be of more help about costs; but I am grateful for the 'free at the point of use" policy in UK healthcare.

Andrew

[GarethB]

Jack,

In the UK ans USA medication is usually antibiotic eye drops and steroid eyed rops to make sure the graft does not reject in the early days.

Initially these are every 4 hours sometimes more regular. The steroid ones get used for the longet period, about 12 months, but you gradually use them less and less.

So medication wise, there is not much.

[tommy.dean]

hey jack, i had a dalk performed privately in the uk an the cost was £2,500, well worth it if you ask me to have an "leading expert" perform your operation. If you have a dalk performed even though there is only a slight chance of rejection the chance is still present (I'm currently going through a rejection phase now). The reason I'm telling you this is because the medication i'm on for rejection (an immune system surpresent called ciclosplorin) effects your liver very seriously. So this would be something you'd have to discuss with your surgeon prior to surgery. Hope all go's well for you
tom

[GarethB]

Tommy

Is the cyclosporin you are using in tablet form or as we more often see on the KC forum eye drops?

The eye drops dose is far less than in tablets, plus if you press your finger against the tear duct when putting drops in your eye, the cornea rapidly absorbs what it needs while the rest overflows and runs down your face which is easily cleared with a tissue before being absorbed by the skin.

This was mentioned at the AGM in March and greatly reduces any affects of the eye drops on the rest of the body as it is not absorbed so does not go anywhere elses except where intended.

[tommy.dean]

hey garath i'm on tablet form 150mg twice daily, it's alot better than using the eye drop form, it's just not used often because it costs the nhs a lot more money i.e. the actual drug an also all the screening test that need to be done while it is being taken.
tom
ps good point about the eye drops going to take that on bored from now on.