New User/Sufferer

[thekiltman85]

Good Morning Forum users, I am a 25 year old male living in new hampshire that has been diagnosed with Keratoconus. I have been through the whole rigmarole with the disease including wearing RGP lenses, and having intacs procedure done on my right eye.

I was suffering through the wearing of my old RGP lenses when I started to notice my vision beginning to go blurry partway through my day. This would happen anywhere between 1-4 o'clock and get to the peak around eight o'clock. I have since been fit with The Boston Ocular Surface Prosthesis (scleral lenses) from the Boston Foundation for Sight. The problem still persists. When I remove the lenses they are generally covered in a thick mucus, and have large protein deposits. The first thing I was recommended to do was use artificial tears, and while the tears help in the short term (five to ten minutes) it always goes back.

I no longer drink coffee, and have not been officially been diagnosed with Dry eye yet, but I know it's coming. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. I'll be sure to check back often to read other users posts.

Cheers,
Aaron

[thekiltman85]

Addendum

Also, when perusing the isles at many major retailers these days there are many vitamin supplements that supposedly promote eye health. Should I be giving them any credence or are they merely just an excuse to get my money? I know that people on here recommend flax seed oils or fish oils as well. Just didn't know if there was any true science behind the vitamins.

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi Aaron and welcome from another BOSP wearer. I have them because of central corneal defects from LASIK and also dry eye.

I don't have the mucous issue but I'm very familiar with it as I know there are a number of people facing this. In some cases it can be improved or addressed. In some other cases, like a lady I know with severe Sjogrens, it unfortunately can't so they live with the tradeoff. I believe that BFS is working on developing some kind of new material that would help repel mucous but from what little I've heard I think it is in rather early stages.

Are your lenses plasma treated? If not, talk to BFS about sending them for treatment. If so, how long have you had the lenses? I think that within a year or even less they may need re-treatment. For me, plasma treatment makes a key difference between a wearable and an unwearable lens.

Putting a slightly more viscous drop in the lens sometimes helps at least with stuff collecting under (not over) the lens. I think they used to recommend putting in a few drops of Celluvisc and topping up with Unisol.

Wearing moisture chambers whenever you can might make some difference - if you're not already, I'd definitely pursue that.

Otherwise, it's down to remove & rinse... or rinse off with unisol while still in the eye.

[thekiltman85]

Thanks

thanks for your prompt response. I take it you must be the moderator here? You have a wonderful and very informative website.
To answer your question I have been wearing the lenses for about seven months now and I agree, the trade off from my old RGP lenses is definitely worth it. I had the lenses re-plasma coated only mere weeks after having been fitted for them, but I'm fairly certain this is not the issue as I was having the same problem with my old RGP lenses as well. I'll try a more viscous eye drop as you suggest and see if I can find some improvement there. I am scheduled to see a corneal specialist this week (who happens to have done some work with BFS) so hopefully she can shed some light onto what specifically is going on. Taking the lenses out and cleaning them removes the "Gunk" as it were, but the protein deposits will remain until I soak the lenses overnight.
Also cleaning the lenses only lasts a few minutes before whatever is going on with the makeup of my eye just gets them all dirty again. At this point they also tend to dry out so badly that I simply remove them and go to bed.

I do not wear moisture chambers, but I am looking to buy a pair of night use goggles to minimize the frequency of waking up with very sore and scratchy eyes. Thanks again for your help! I love the site.

[thekiltman85]

After my visit

Went to the doctors but she didn't seem to think it was an issue of dry eye. She thought that because my lenses were getting clouded over due to the protein deposits, the eyes were producing the extra gunk. She reccomended I use UNIZYME enzymatic cleaner at night in conjunction with my Clear Care, and that I try an eye drop called CLERZ during the day. Clerz was supposed to break up the protein deposits as I wear the lenses. It has so far not produced any results. Now I'm back at square one.