UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

hi Everyone

Following my eye appt yesterday I was told i ought to have my eye pressure checked as to my knowledge I've never had this done and I am nearly 50 and my mum suffers from glaucoma.

I can remember years ago having air blown into my eye many times before a very confused young lady went off to talk to the optometrist who advised me I couldn't have it done because the machine was unable to read it because of my KC.

I've called I specsavers today and explained and they have told me I need a Goldman tonometry but would have to have ane
Anaesthetic in my eye and would be unable to put my lens in for the rest of the day.

Just wondered if anyone knew of any way I could have it done without the need of keeping the lenses out afterwards.

RegRds

Libby

Hi Libby

From my experience, as you seem to have found as well, the standard air pressure test (non-contact tonometry) at the high-street optician doesn't give a proper result for an eye with Keratoconus. I've never heard why this is so, but then again I've never asked ! As my intraocular pressure is checked via Goldmann tonometry by the opthalmologist I usually tell the optometrist at the optician not to bother with my grafted left eye. I do get a reading on my not-quite-so-bad right eye via non-contact tonometry -- but how accurate it is, I'm not sure.

If I remember correctly, the thickness of the cornea affects intraocular pressure. So I've a hunch that it requires the person attempting to measure the pressure to take into account the current thickness of your cornea -- so they will need to be able to measure that too in order to say what the right IOP reading is. (this bit is from what I half-recall an optometrist telling me a while back so I hope I've not misremembered and got the wrong end of the stick).

I do not believe there is any non-contact way of measuring IOP for a Keratoconic eye. If it is a contact method that is used, you'd need drops (otherwise you'll flinch from the measuring device sitting on the surface of your eye). So I've a bad feeling that it is going to involve aesthetic drops to check your IOP. If there's some magic answer, hopefully a professional can be kind enough and tell us what it is...

The only thing that puzzles me a bit is that you might have been told that you can't wear your lenses if you've had the drops. In my experience, I've never had a problem, I've just put the lens back in after the reading have been taken. Might be worth asking when you have the test if there's really a valid reason why you can't reinsert your lens straight away.

Best wishes

Chris

Libby

My experience is the same as Chris reports: the use of anesthetic eye drops actually makes my lens go in easier and sit more comfortably on my eye. The only reason I can think why someone might suggest you not wear a lens after anesthesia is that, if damage was being done to your eye, you might not be able to feel any resulting discomfort?

I am afraid that, for us, it is a case of Goldmann Tonometry.

Every good wish

Andrew

Only thing I can add is they mix in a Fluorescent dye. This could damage certain types of lens ( soft defiantly). I would have thought that once that has gone there should be no reason why the lens could not be put back in.

Ian