Entering the world of sclerals

[woodart]

Been a while since I posted much of anything. Last year I had my eyes treated for Saltzmans Dystrophy. Did not go succesful. I am left with blurry vision and ghosting. I am into 70 years of this dry eye business. My eyes had been comfortable from taking flaxseed oil but the sight has gone way downhill. I have blepharitis, mgd, dry eye, slings holding my eyelid up witch does not close properly. I got just about enough sight in my left eye to post here. It's been a long struggle. I was fitted for sclerals this week and for the first time that I can remember I could actually see clearly. It was amazing. I read off the bottom lines of the charts with no effort. I will need to learn about these now. They will be here for Feb 5 for me to get. I know it probably will be a pain for me with the narrow lid opening but I am so looking forward to seeing and driving again. I went over my history pretty well in the introduce section. I hope to get more time on here once I get my sight. I have tried to get into these after hearing about them but it was expensive. Now I find I am covered for this even though I would have paid if I had to after seeing the results from the fitting. They have come way down in price since I looked into it a while back. I had gone to New England Eye about 30 years ago and they were most helpful. Had Insurance problems and I went elsewhere for a few years. I got my insurance changed and I am back there now. The Dr Helen Wu is the only good doc I have found for dry eye around here. And I have seen many. The optometrist I had seen is the same one I saw 30 years ago. I had no clue I was about to get into lenses. I liked her then and now. I am very persistent about adapting to things and I am sure to adapt to these. I am looking forward to any helpful hints to make this easier. I am most thankful for Rebecca to making this board possible. .

[Rebecca Petris]

woodart I'm really excited for you!

I was just messaging earlier today with the very first doctor who got me good vision - 14 years ago now. I remember that moment. Just the relief to know it was possible to see well again. I have blurry vision and ghosting too and that's why I wear sclerals.

Wishing you the very best with with the lenses when they come! You'll do great. Reach out with any questions. And if you're a Facebook user... the 'instant gratification' factor with the scleral lens group there is helpful with troubleshooting too.

[woodart]

Today I got them and went through putting them in which is going to be fun since I have droopy eyelids. Getting them out was no problem. Installing them will be a problem trying t hold them open and guiding the lens in. I had a mirror on the table there but it seemed to be of no help. So that will be biggest hurdle. Although I am just starting I see can the advantage of the see green thing here. Wants me to do 1 hour the first day and increase it by one hour each day. Also can do two sessions if I want. I do like them. One thing I will have to make a change on is the night time ointment is going to be a problem making the lens cloudy. So I need to use something without petroleum or probably the best bet will to try the dry eye goggle night time wear. I hated to take them out today. They were just so comfortable to start out with. Sight was amazing. These are SynergEyes lenses.

[woodart]

Getting these in is the biggest problem for me so far. I know I have been at this for about a week now and new to this but so far I have worked it out to this method. Since it was difficult to work with my closed lids I found that making a stand for the lens inserter which was a 35mm camera film container which I made a hole in and put some quarters in to make it stable. I can fill the lens this way and have my hands free. I find I need both hands for my eyelids. I pull down the lower with my right hand and using my left I place it on it to hold it in place. Then using my right hand I can pull down the upper and using another finger hold the upper in place. I get a wider opening this way and can get the lens in easier as I all have to do is use my right hand to get the inserter with the lens already filled and go right in. Maybe this will help others with the same type problem. At some point I can probably do better but it was what I had on hand.

[Alix]

Genius idea!! I too am having problems inserting scleral lenses, liquid spills everywhere.
Do you use a mirror?

[woodart]

Tried a mirror with no luck. I went form 6 addipak to 3 now. One day I actually just did 2. Just need at least an extra hour in the morning just for these. Hoping time will make is easier. I will still keep trying for a better way. I am stubborn.

[woodart]

Had my first follow up. Left eye was irritated so have to leave lens out. I knew it the day before but was out and had nothing with me as I have not put together a kit yet. So I have to get on the ball so I can take care of things when I am not home. After a week I got the right eye done in one shot and the left in two. Hopefully I can repeat this more often than not. Doc spends a lot of time going over my eyes. She does spend a good ea of time with you and does not rush you out and makes sure she answered all your questions. Also very rare for an eye doc to be on time. I do need reading glasses now. But I can deal with that. The vision is now 20 30. Plus it is clear and sharp.

[Hokucat]

Glad you have a good scleral specialist and you are getting better at inserting your lenses. Most of us have a hard time in the beginning inserting and removing the lenses, but soon it will be like brushing your teeth. Now it literally takes me less than a minute to insert both lenses in the morning.

Have you tried putting a few drops of Refresh Celluvisc in with your saline when filling your sclerals? It can help with the comfort, reduce irritation and clouding. Many scleral users find this helpful, and it was also recommended by my scleral specialist. You can also use preservative free artificial tears (the more watery ones, not the thick ones) with your lenses on...I found putting a couple drops on the white/sclera part of my eyes above the top lens edge and below the bottom lens edge of the lenses and blinking a few times helped relieve dryness and irritation while wearing the lenses. Sometimes putting a few drops of saline over the lenses while wearing them also helps. Perhaps ask your specialist about all these and other tips.

I have to use reading glasses too with sclerals. At my scleral specialist’s recommendation, I got an rx pair that are progressives, with reading on the bottom and on the top is clear (no rx). Then I can leave my glasses on all the time, use the computer, walk around with them, etc. if I want to. It works out really well.

[woodart]

Than ks, I mentioned the tears and she said for now just to use the addipak for now. I am using otc reading glasses for now. She wants to wait a while before doing a script. I will keep the progressives in mind when I reach that point. I go back in two weeks. Today went well with getting them in. I expected it to be difficult for me. Same as yesterday. One shot for the right eye and two for the left. I feel just using one addipak I have made real accomplishment. Now that I am spoiled I hate taking them out and going back to the blurry ghosting vision. I just find it so unbelievable that these work. She is good at listening as I tell her about what I learned on here. She is actually interested. I had met her briefly about 30 years ago when I went in for hard contact lens to see if they would help then. She tried but they were not any good for me. She works in the same place as my cornea specialist who is also very good. I feel lucky that after so many docs over a 60 year period I finally found 2 good ones. Thanks.

[woodart]

Had another follow up and doc said the fit is good. No problems with the eye from them. Said to try and keep them in no more than 12 hours if possible since I am new to these. I brought in my eyeseals and she liked them. Gave me a three month appointment. So nice, answers all my stupid questions and spends all the time I need, no rushing at all. So nice when we get to hook up with a rally good one. I do once in a while now get at least one of them in in one shot. My next thing to try is some finger grips. My fingers do not grip well and I am losing some of my opening of the eyelids before I can get the lens in. Hopefully that will solve that. I do enjoy having these in. So nice not to have burning itchy eyes and having to remember drops all day. The biggest issue still left is my eyes working together. I have been thorough that process before so I know it will take time. Over the years I had read about these from Rebecca and often had wondered about them.. I now regret not having pursued them figuring the doc did not advise me to get them. So I took their for word for it. Looks like we need to take the first step and not wait for them.

[woodart]

Finally got so I can keep my eyes open with my fingers. I can't grip my lids and hold them as my fingers just have no grip. Tried some finger cots the other day. Finally can hold my eyelids so I can get those lens in. I do have droopy lids which I think makes it even harder. And not that they are expensive but are easily used over. Such a process learning to adapt to these. I am still thankful for them as without them I just really do not have usable sight. My biggest obstacle now is getting my eyes to work together. I can do well using one eye, either one will do. But together they do not want to cooperate.

[woodart]

Making progress in this learning experience. It's getting easier but my arthritic fingers don't help. I solved the no grip fingers problem. After trying a few things I ended up with finger cots. I can now hold my eyelids and they grip great. I had made a mistake and got one size too large. Which worked out better as I find it easy to reuse them. The ones I got were latex. I don't have an allergy to them so no problem. I am doing one to two tries now with an occasional 4 or 5 tries on a bad day. But have kept ti down to one addipak per day. One of my prescription bottles is just the right size to store the addipak in that is left over. For the moment I am just using it for rinsing the lenses. Then the fresh for filling.I do hate to take them out. For me they are so comfortable. Biggest problem at this point is the getting the eyes to work together. My lazy eye is now my dominant eye. The brain has a problem with that. Driving is the worst. Sunglasses help some with that. From past experince I know that will take some time. I did get some readers with the magnification at the bottom which are great when watching tv and wanting to look at the phone occasionally. Once I get to the script part I will have them made up as progressives. The eyeseals have been great also. So nice to see as soon as I get up and no more ointment. I didn't want to spend the money but these have turned out so much cheaper int he long run. Thank God for Rebecca.

[woodart]

Update, had a followup visit and things looked good. Also said to wear them a little longer now. The doc said on my next order of lens they will now give me 2 sets of lens for the year. I guess that is okay but at this moment seems like overkill. The eyeseals have been great. After three months they are now curling up around the edges. So I guess long term they don't last. But looking at it from the point of the cost of my nighttime ointment I used to use it is still a great deal for me. Plus waking up and being able to see and not deal with ointment is great. So not complaining. Insertion of lens is still a pain for me but so far I am able to get them in even with my physical limitations.

[woodart]

Went in yesterday for a two doctor visit. Everything looked good with the lens and all she had to add was to clean them before storing them in solution. Then to my dry eye doc that I have seen for over 30 years and said the corneas were the best she has ever seen them. I expect so as I could feel the difference in my eyes. I had my bag of eye stuff should she be interested. She was impressed with the eyeseals mask. I had been telling her about Rebecca for many years and I think she is starting to take me serious. She is very nice and knows her business unlike so many I have seen. My bleph is better now too. I use the Natrasan to wet my eyes before putting on my eyeseals. For those who do not know this has been a lifelong battle for me. I am thankful for Rebecca, and my finally great eye doc and my lens doctor.

[Alix]

I am so glad for you that the scleral lenses for you. It's a great lesson for us all that we must persist however long it takes to get answers and relief.
We should never be resigned to a life of pain!