UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Where can kerasoft lens be ordered from? does anyone use these lens? and what are the costs

I currently use RGP's but am hearing good things about the kerasoft lens

Thank you

Kieran

Hi there Kieran

DIY contact lens prescriptions are never a good idea (although all too many of my friends just whack in an order online, year in, year out, for daily disposables without ever going for an up-to-date eyesight test ) especially for a product as complex as Kerasoft ! You'll definitely need find an optometrist with experience in prescribing this type of lens.

The good news is that many NHS eye units are prepared to offer this option to you. But alas, not all. The only way to be sure is to ask.

If the eye unit you attend within the NHS isn't going to be able to let you trial these then, firstly, I'd nag them into changing their stance. I think it's so important for Keratoconus patients to have a voice in their treatment. Even if a particular product isn't suitable for you, unless you give it a go, you'd always have that doubt. I think psychologically, that's not a good place to be.

If the initial NHS provision isn't what you want, you can ask to be referred to a different eye unit who are prepared to dispense Kerasoft (or any other lens type you're interested in). The drawback is, that might end up being some distance away from where you live. It's not really fair, but ultimately, you just have to travel if needed. That's why I'd encourage patients to ask for the services they want where they want them because otherwise, we'll get the lowest common denominator... But I do appreciate, sometimes you simply don't want the aggravation of a battle with an intransigent NHS Trust.

Finally, there's private practice. Expect to pay around £250 per lens, but most of that covers the optometrist's time and contribution to their equipment and premises overheads. I'll probably be shot down by any NHS optometrists but private practice tends to bring other advantages such as much greater flexibility in appointment times and far greater "chair time". More time with the optometrist can mean better outcomes. That said, many, many people get first rate care from the NHS.

Anything else you need to know, just ask. Hopefully people with real-world experience can help with what they've found in first hand usage.

Cheers

Chris

Hi Kieran,

I was just wondering how tolerant you are to your current RGP lenses?
Are you able to wear them for a long period of time or do you need a break from them every so often?

I also wear RGP lenses and I asked about the Kerasoft lenses during my recent appointment at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

I was informed that Kerasoft lenses are usually recommended to people whose current lenses (e.g RGP) are causing them a lot of discomfort.

I was advised to keep using RGP lenses (as long as they were comfortable) as they will produce the best results for my vision.
(I realise a lot of people will probably dispute that, but I'm just passing the message on)

I am able to comfortably wear my RGP lenses for up to 20 hours without a break, so I decided to stick with them for the time being as they aren't really causing me any hassle.

However, I realise we are all in different situations and that is the reason I asked the first couple of questions
I'm not saying "this is what I've done - now you do the same".. I'm just sharing my own experience and trying to learn a bit more about yours.

Regards,
Lew

Hi Lewis

Thanks for your reply, i wear one RGP on my right eye which is my better eye, i am waiting for a fitting session for my left eye

Currently i wear my RGP from 9am - 5pm have a 1 hour break then wear it at home till bed time, its relatively comfortable 7-8/10 and vision seems good

i have heard good things about the kerasoft lens and wanted extra comfort,

i am mainly worried about the effects of continous lens wear,

i also have a consultation for cross linking in two

many thanks

The general advice about RGP wear is if they are not causing you any issues, either from a comfort or vision point of view, then keep with them.

This is not necessarily because they provide the best vision, its just the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy.

However.... if all day constant wear is an issue, comfort is a problem or if you are considering CXL, then moving to something like KeraSoft can make a difference.

If you are having comfort issues then KeraSoft is almost certainly better. There is an issue though: RGP lenses mould the cornea and the longer you wear them, the more this moulding effect takes hold. When you change to any soft lens option, the cornea will "de-mould" and this process can go on for several weeks. During this time, the cornea changes shape and consequently changes power.

Once this is settled, then everything is fine, but its not an instant change. This is also partly why if you are doing well in RGPs you are not encouraged to change to a soft lens type.

With CXL, there is also some corneal shape fluctuation post op. If you wear RGPs right up until the day of the op, you can quite likely expect post op power changes due to the additive effect of the RGP changes AND the CXL induced changes. Thus, it is often advantageous to get settled in KeraSoft before CXL, if you are considering this lens option.

Finally, if you want to find a private practitioner fitting these lenses, you can ring the company (UltraVision) and they will give you all the practices fitting this lens type close to your post code.

Lynn