My experience with Kerato-ectasia and Collagen Cross Linking

[Tomy]

Hi,

I have been following this forum for a few months and it has been very useful. I therefore hope that sharing my experience will be of use to others.

I am mid thirties and have always suffered from myopia and some astigmatism. I did a Lasik procedure in 2002 and hurray, I did not need glasses anymore.

Last year I felt my sight is getting a bit weaker so after checking I found out I had a little bit of astigmatism in my right eye (-0.5 cyl) and more in my left eye (-1.5 cyl). I assumed that the effect of the Lasik has worn off, then within 12 months my prescription in the left eye changed twice to (-2.5 cyl) and I noticed that there is a distinct double image in that eye even with the glasses.

After some further checks, I was diagnosed with Corneal Ectasia in the left eye which is a condition almost identical to Keraroconus but in most cases happens after Lasik surgery (usually right after and not 5 years like me).

I kept evaluating my options and got several recommendations to go for a C3-R which at minimum should stop the progression (I was not sure I wanted to wait and see whether it was still active or not).

I went for the procedure in the LCRS on Friday (Nov 30th). The procedure itself was uneventful other than the painful spring that keeps the eye open and the bit more than an hour it takes.

I had a bandage contact inserted and my eye was also covered by a bandage patch.

Day 0
That evening the pain was really 'challenging' but I guess at the end the pills did their job and I spent almost 20 hours in bed.

Day 1
Pain was much less, I removed the patch and it was really hard to concentrate on anything, I guess it was the light sensitivity. I was also suffering a light head from the pills from the day before.

Day 2 (today)
Pain almost gone but it is now very foggy with my left eye. I am assuming (and praying) that it is just the bandage lens and the fog will go away when I remove it.

I will keep you updated with the progress.

[Andrew MacLean]

Tomy

Welcome to the forum. We look forwatd to future instalments as your story unfolds.

Andrew

[Matthew_]

Thanks for this, very interesting.
I will be interested in how it goes. I hope the fog soon clears.

[Tomy]

Updates for Days 3:

I removed the bandage lens as instructed which was uneventful but was disappointed to find the fog still there. Given that it is written as one of the symptoms that may persist for a while post-op, I decided to wait till th next day when I go for my first check.

Day 4:
Fog is slightly less (I think). At least I can now see very big fonts (although I also see their ghost0> I went to my check and it seems things are in order other than
1- The fog which was even obvious through the examination but I was re-assured that it will alowly disappear.
2- I was doing a couple of lines worse on Snellen, but this may be attributed to the fog.

I have another checkpoint in 10 days.

By now the pain is not there anymore, the feeling of grit is decreasing and I am only taking the antibiotic drops now.