UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi,

I'm 27 and when i was 16 got diagnosed with having a damaged nerve around my eye, meaning i had to wear glasses with a prism built into the lens. This has always been stable and have had no further problems, other than being reluctant at times to wear my glasses and only really needing them when tired or under heavy eye strain at work.

I went to the opticians yesterday as I've felt my eye sight worsening. I did my motorbike test and found the eyesight test very difficult to do. The optician was very strange and then said he wanted me to see his colleague as he thought I had Keratoconus. Have had to make an appointment for Monday. He didn't explain anything or say how bad it is. Just said that they would write a letter to my GP who would then refer me to the hospital.

I'm a bit concerned now as I am in the process of buying a motorbike it's on a 0% interest deal about to end, and my parents are saying wait and see what happens. I'm really scared though as need to have my own transport to get to work. I work 40+ miles away from where i live with no train connections. The bike was the only thing keeping me going last night keeping my spirits up, if you know what i mean? Now I'm not sure what to do. I still want to buy the bike, as surely it can't get that bad that quick and the treatments will work seeing as how I’ve only just been diagnosed. My last eye test was just over 2 years ago.

Have done the eye test download of numbers and I can see level 7 with my left after concentrating and level 8 with my right after concentrating and staring at the screen. Is this good or bad?

Welcome to the forum.

To be honest we have encountered quite a few optoms who can tell the signs of KC and that is it so your optom may have said nothing because they have exhausted their knowledge.

KC is unpredictable and you will find on here plenty of horror storis as many who come here are extreme cases who feel they have nowhere else to turn.

As far as driving/riding a bike you do need to ensure you can read a standard sized number plate at 20.5 meters. If you can do that, then it is up to you if you still go for the bike or not. You will have to tell your insurers. Mine treat my KC as if I had to wear glasses for any other eye condition and say I must wear the appropriate vision correction when I drive. Goes without syaing because without vision correction I can't see the end of the bonnet!

I've had KC for 20 years plus and my insurance has gradually got cheaper ever since.

If however you are unable to see the number plate properly or have doubts about your vision being suitable for riding a bike or driving it might be better to hold fire on purchasing a bike as it could be sat around depreciating while you get your vision sorted. On the other hand it may will give you the incentive (if you need one) to beat the condition and get your vision sorted how best suits you.

I kept my car while I went through the process and it kept my motivation going while I got things under control. Infact it underwent a fair bit of restoration in that time.

Do keep on top of your GP as dpending on post code and hospitals the waiting time to get seen can vary.

Contact Anne Klepacz (details on the contacts link from the home page) and register your details. You will have access to loads of extra information that is too much to be on this one forum.

Regards

Gareth

Hi There!

OK....

First you need to know if you did actually fail the driving test or not. Ask about this on Monday. If you fail it with the best glasses prescription they can give, then I am afraid it means that you will not be able to drive a motor bike until you get sorted out.

Keratoconus is fairly rare which means not many High Street optometrists are comfortable dealing with it.. hence you being asked back to see a colleague. What it means is that you have a cornea (front window of the eye) which is distorted and what THAT means is that it is difficult to improve your vision with glasses.

Generally, it can be improved with contact lenses - but through the NHS, this means a referral to a hospital clinic and then referral on from there either to the hospital contact lens clinic or a High Street Optician who contracts out to the hospital. In all likelihood, this will take several months.

The online chart is not an accurate way of checking your vision - you have to place it at the correct distance away to make sure it works. It needs to be done under controlled conditions, so do talk about this on Monday when you go back. They can guide you exactly about the driving standard.

Take a deep breath here. I know to you the bike is everything - but in fact you have just been told something about your vision that could be life changing. It takes a lot of getting used to and you need to slow down a bit. Go to the appointment on Monday, explain your concerns to them, and come back here to let us know what happened.

Good luck!

Lynn