Hello! & hybrid lens probs

[matty04]

It would be wonderful to be given nice shiny new corneas without any correction needed thats for sure. i feel that i was lucky with the results from my first graft

i have read about synthetic corneas being developed & thought it could possibly lead to grafts with corneas that are perfect but alas at the mo it seems they are very expensive compared to donor tissue & also the results aren't great. Maybe in the future these synthetic corneas could benefit KC sufferers

[Ali Akay]

Hi Matt
Current NHS statutory charge for a contact lens is £52.90, so you shouldnt need to pay more than this. Although patients are generally charged the statutory charge once a year, and lens replacements during the year due to clinical changes are supplied free of charge, it would not be unreasonable for you to be expected to pay the statutory charge for a lens split after 6 months wear. Incidentally, manufacturers of Synergeyes hybrid lens recommend 6 monthly replacement, so, one could argue that you should be entitled to a new lens every 6 months and paying £52.90 once a year. It sounds like your optometrist is supplying you with a lens through GOS (General Ophthalmic Services) rather than HES (Hospital Eye Service) which could explain why you are only entitled to one lens per year. You need to have a word with your optom, and if he is not working within HES you'll need to look into ways of getting your lenses through HES.

[matty04]

Thanks Ali thats very interesting. As far as i'm concerned my original lens was supplied through HES as i paid the discounted rate of £52 so should this not mean that future lenses are supplied under this scheme also??

i must admit i only moved to this optometrist recently under advice from my ex-optometrist (who incidentally looked after me brilliantly) due to the fact that they weren't on the NHS scheme. Thanks again for posting i will see how i get on when i see him on Friday.

Matt

[Ali Akay]

You are right Matt, if you're eligible to have lenses through HES there is no limit (within reason!) on how many lenses you are allowed to have every year as, by definition, the lenses are needed for a clinical reason. Patients in an exemption category (children, patients on benefits etc) dont pay anything, otherwise you may or may not need to pay for the replacement depending on the circumstances, but you'd not be asked to pay more than £52.90 per lens. There probably is some misunderstanding, and hopefully it'll be sorted out when you talk to your optom. If your optom doesnt deal with a lot of HES patients he may be unsure about the rules, or the local Health Authority is perhaps being difficult but he needs to sort the problem out for you.

[rosemary johnson]

Matty04:
INteresting to read about synthetic corneas - can you give us any references on this?
I guess the trouble is the cornea may be "perfect" in shape by they have to be sewn (presumably) into a human and unique eye.
On the other hand, if they are without the tissue of another human, does this mean they are more likley to be accepted without such a great risk of rejection? - and without the need for so much/so long dosage on anti-rejection eye drops?
Rosemary

[matty04]

I have only googled "synthetic corneas" & it seems that some significant research has been carried out although much of the info from the links for biomed or nature for instance seem fairly dated. intersting report on the itwire link though which is more recent.

I think the figure for rejection of donor corneas is quite low it terms of transplants in general so the synthetic type would have to be good to replace them

[rosemary johnson]

Thanks - I'll have a search some time.
As refards rejection - I think total rejection is quite uncommon. rejection episodes are not unknown, usually turned round by rapid use of plenty of the anti-rejection eye drops, promptly identified and applied. And people are kept on the drop as routine longer than they used to be. None of this good news for anyone who can't tolerate the drops.
Rosemary