Today, November 10th, has been named World Keratoconus Day! Please join us in spreading the word about Keratoconus to raise awareness about this condition and the treatment options available for those who have been diagnosed with it.
We thought the best way to get the word out is by speaking to our patients and getting THEIR word out.
James was diagnosed with Keratoconus and came to us in Houston from Louisiana in order to have corneal crosslinking (CXL) at our office just a couple weeks ago. He wanted to share his experience with us and most importantly, with you.
How did Keratoconus affect your vision and your life?
It made night vision very difficult for me. My vision with contacts was not great, it was just okay. But my BIGGEST concern was that I may have to have a corneal transplant in the future.
This CXL procedure has taken a big load off of my shoulders in not having to worry about that.
How did you feel when you were diagnosed? Did you do any research?
I knew I had keratoconus for a while, but was getting good results with my soft Contact lenses for some time. My condition got worse and I got put into hard contact lenses which I couldn’t stand. They put me back in soft contact lenses but my vision was not as good as it was before so I felt like it was in that moment when I started really running out of options that I started doing my research.
I asked my optometrist, Dr. Laurie Sicard in Louisiana about corneal crosslinking which I had found out about. She told me she would send me to someone in Houston that she highly respected
So I went out to Houston.
What was your vision like before surgery vs. after?
Let’s put it this way. I had a follow up appointment this Monday (3 days ago) and they told me that before my crosslinking procedure I was 20/50 in both eyes.
This Monday marked 2 weeks post Crosslinking and in my left eye I was 20/25, and 20/30 in my right. To say “this is quite encouraging” is an understatement.
Functionally, at work and life, this procedure has changed everything.
I am seeing things now that I didn’t see before. The sharpness of street signs, I can see the diplomas on the wall, I can see my name in them.
Different everyday things I never noticed that I couldn’t see. I mean, I knew my vision wasn’t good, but I didn’t realize just how bad it was until now.
Tell us about your CXL surgery, the day of and after…
It was smooth, I had very little discomfort after the procedure and absolutely no discomfort during the procedure. I was light sensitive after the procedure that afternoon but the numbing drops took care of any discomfort I felt. I assumed I would have a horrible night but I slept pretty well and the next day I was just light sensitive. I had the procedure on a Tuesday and was back in my office at work on Thursday! (2 days later) I had very little discomfort in 48 hours.
I want to mention that I loved everyone at Slade & Baker Vision Center. Everyone I dealt with was unbelievably professional, courteous, and sympathetic.
What they said they were going to do, they did; the way they said things were going to go, it was that way to a T, no surprises!
I couldn’t have been more pleased.
I can say that even if the procedure wasn’t as successful, my impression would be exactly the same of the staff and everyone there.
If anyone reading this is on the fence or skeptical about crosslinking, I want to say have no fear.
What the last 2 weeks has done in the quality of my life is incredible. I am a big outdoor person, I love to fish and hunt and what this has done for me in just two weeks, even just watching a sporting event, I can’t put in words. It was so worth it.
If you or anyone you know has been diagnosed with Keratoconus, we are here to help.
