UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Hi there

Went to the BMEC today to have a check up on site and evreything seems to be ok. However they want me to go back in 3 months so that they can monitor a potential problem in my right eye. It seems that it's not getting enough oxygen abd they are worried about the blood vessels in there. Has any one experienced something similar? I'm kind of worried because they were fine 9 months ago when I last went - does anyone know why they'd want to monitor this as I've not heard of or encountered this ptoblem before. They also mentioned that I may need a new lens to oxygenate the eye more - is this at all possible because I have a non-RGP Scleral and if it's not giving the eye enough now I can't understand how giving me a new one will help?

Any assistance in understanding what is happening would be greatly recieved.

Aaron

Hi Aaron and welcome,
Getting enough oxygen to the eye is often an issue with contact lenses, particularly if it's not a gas permeable material ((there's a discussion about it on a current thread about piggy backing where wearing a soft lens underneath an rgp could reduce the amount of oxygen getting to the cornea). So it's good the hospital is monitoring this. Gas permeable scleral lenses have been around for a long time now, so it may be you could switch to those. As you were told, if the cornea isn't getting enough oxygen, that can encourage blood vessels to grow towards the cornea which needs to be avoided if there's a chance you might need a graft in the future. I hope it gets sorted out for you.
Anne

Only problem I have is that they've tried RGP Sclerals with the eye and they didn't work - they couldn't get one to fit. So not sure wats next unless thess fit another hard lens with the air bubble in that creates more oxygen to the eye?

aaz

There are new lenses on the market now (So2 Clear, for example) that may provide good correction and allow for the transmission of sufficient oxygen. I know that it is difficult when one lens on which we have come to depend is no longer offering the sort of correction we need, but the good thing is that there always seems to be work underway in developing new materials and bringing to the market new lens designs.

Andrew