Blindness... A Warning!

[AlexEntertainment 0]

Well guys and girls,

 

I've just got back from the opticians after what I thought would be a routine appointment to get my new contact lenses!

 

OH HOW I WAS WRONG!

 

Went in as normal, and asked " Any problems with your contacts? " to which I replied... " Nope, except when I FIRST put them in, the next morning my eyes are stuck together"... which I thought was normal anyway after reading stories online.

 

Optician perks up and I can see alarm bells are ringing in his head!

 

"Ok... erm... er.... ", he paused to read his paperwork on me

"Right... i think we need to do some scans"

 

So off I pop to this other room, have lots of different drops and scans and stuff done... They were VERY VERY thorough with there stuff!

 

Get called back after being put in waiting room (while my eyes adjusted back to normal)....

 

"Ok, Alex.... I've got some some bad news.... because of the contact lenses, your eyes are damaged beyong repair. The eyelids inside should be smooth, but are infact now VERY VERY pitted and are like a piece of mini sandpaper now. They are slowly wearing down your eyes."

 

My last scan about 7 years ago shows no trace of damage and I was smooth... lovely! But thanks to contacts, which I started wearing just after the scan, they have worn away my eyelids ....

 

I was told that I should expect my eyesite to deteriorate progressively over the next 5 to 10 years.... and while they can't guarantee I wont go blind, there is a chance I will !! A larger then average chance!!

 

So for all those that wear contact lenses...... I HIGHLY recommend you speak to your opticians and get a check up... I thought I was fine, I had never had any problems except my prescription changing every 2 years like normal.

 

Unfortunately for me, the damage is already done.... but get yourself checked!!!!

 

[Dukesy 0]

Out of interest, which tyoe of lenses do you use?

[AlexEntertainment 0]

Out of interest, which tyoe of lenses do you use?

 

 

Originally I had an aspheric lense and a toric lense.... the brand changed everytime... and those were the ones you take out each night....

 

I then moved over to All day and night wear..... not sure on brand tbh.... I do know they were from Coopervision though.

[fester 0]

That really sux, sorry to hear that Alex

 

I've worn contact lenses myself for about 20 years now. I used to have the kind where one pair lasts you a full year however about 7 years ago I changed my optician and he was horrified.

Apparently the "yearly" lenses were seriously old fashioned and as I was wearing them all day my eyes were being starved of oxygen.

He used all kinds of machines and tests (something my previous optician never did) and found that because of the oxygen starvation all the blood vessels in my eyes had grown enormously and expanded in width several times.

He immediately switched me to a monthly disposable silicone hydrogel lens that let something like 80% more oxygen through to the eye and he made me stop wearing the contacts in the evenings and at least one full day a week.

Pretty immediately the blood vessels stopped growing and around a year later had shrank back to a normal "width" so i've been very lucky not to suffer any lasting effects. The optician said if I hadn't seen him and had continued to use the old lenses, a few more years and my eyes would have been seriously damaged.

 

If I could afford laser surgery i would have it tomorrow as I hear too many stories like this about side-effects of wearing contacts. It's not through vanity, I actually think I look quite good in my glasses lol but I absolutely hate wearing them with a passion plus in my outdoor day job (Road Surfacing) they are a royal pain the ar$e. Can't see a thing when it's raining and hot tarmac at over 150 C makes em steam up so while ever they stop me walking under an 18 tonne roller or 25 tonne paving machine it's actually a lot safer for me to wear contacts at work.

[McCardle 1]

Thanks for taking the time to share this with us, but i'm very sorry to hear the news you bring. Eye sight is a precious thing which we all take for granted and I can't begin to think how hard it has been to hear news of something like this. :sad:

 

I wear glasses, and have done since I was Twelve, my eyesight being so bad that I have to wear them continuously during every waking moment, and certainly couldn't drive or even walk down the street without wearing them. Cosmetically I hate glasses and the problems which they bring and I've lost track of the number of times, i've considered contacts, but have always been squeemish about poking my eye out when taking them in or out!. It seems that, on hearing this piece of news, that in the long run it may have been the right decision.

 

Just out of interest, have you always worn the same type / brand?, have you contacted the manufacturers and alerted them to this?, are there any help groups with people who are facing the same prognosis?

Edited May 4, 2010 by McCardle

[vokf 0]

I'm well over-due an eye test, but the thought of contacts makes be squeemish!

 

I'm sorry to hear the bad news mate - and I hope it was a mis-diagnosis.

 

Jas

[Teez 0]

That's dreadful news chap. There must be some solutions out there so don't ever accept the negative diagnosis and keep fighting.

 

Teez

[Dukesy 0]

I've been wearing different tyoes of lenses (on and off) since 1988 and without going into a long list of 'factors' that contribute to the problems contact lens users can encounter, I strongly suggest to follow the experts advice and consider in the mean time in keeping your eyes hydrated - you may be able to use this product but I'd still check with your optician. Link.

Yes, when the eyes become dry, contact lenses can indeed stick, plus other nasty's can happen!!!

If you need to change the way you work, lifestyle, etc for the sake of your eyesight, then it's a no brainer really.

Good luck. :msn-wink:

[DJMickeyk 0]

That is terrible news, lets hope it doesn't come to that and you get over it. Eyesight is something we take for granted but is so precious.

[AlexEntertainment 0]

I'm currently booked to see my private doctor tomorrow and see if I can get a referal/second opinion from another medical expert... we'll see!

I'm HOPING to god that the optician was wrong.. or being over cautious.

 

But with everything in this world...you've gotta be positive... and so on the bright side(jokey side)... if I do go blind, then I've heard your other senses heighten! Hopefully it will be my hearing and I'll feel the beat more and be able to beat mix better! HAHA!

[Dukesy 0]

Personally, I wouldn't put much stock in a non-eye specialist... unless there are other concerns, such as side-effects with introduction of medication / cocktail of Smarties to any current prescription?

 

As for General Practitioners, well, they need only jump through hoops in the final year of their specialty training e.g. for summative assessment...and can literally 'practice' for years and years without further reference or the medical equivalent of an 'MOT'. Simple example, whilst the media have an absolute field day when 'GPs' murder 215 of their patients over a 24 year period, the failures in our "free" health system still continue to prevail….and we will likely see more cases of 'GPs' getting away with 'unimaginables' for years to come! LOL!

You might have guessed I'm not a fan of the 'GP', but sure, they're not all bad. Some actually don't have bad breath! LOL!

 

Although an eye-specilist (Optometrist) is more likely to have diagnosed your 'condition', you may get peace of mind in making an appointment with your hospital to see another eye-specialist (Ophthalmologist consultant) rather than a private doctor / GP equivalent?

 

There may be improvements with NHS waiting lists in some areas, but should you not wish to wait, you could in the meantime speak to a Specsavers eye-specialist, who interestingly offer digital retinal photography in 590 of their stores. You may have to pay for the service, but it might help / reassure that if there is any indication of retinal damage / disease, etc, you'll be able to keep a copy of findings for reference and provide to your Doctor / consultant.

 

Years ago, I had a slightly similar condition with one of my eyelids which was due to wearing hard lenses. I was advised (at the time) not to smoke (I wasn't smoking then!) and to only wear for a few hours a day. I thought that wearing the lenses at night when Djing would be fine, but the then smokey conditions of the venues caused all sorts of grief. I was stubborn, carried on wearing them without realising that I was damaging the eye. Years later, I was able to change to soft lenses which have been absolutely brilliant, but obviously deteriorate with use. When fatigued, my eyes lose moisture, focussing becomes a real effort and I know that's a good warning to either have a rest, or hydrate and rest.

 

I rarely get headaches but when I do, I take that as another warning and follow advice to change back to my glasses for a few days to give the eyes a rest! For me, this helps, but obviously, everyone is different and may need to do this less or more often.

 

I'm not affected as much in environments where people smoke (by wearing soft lenses), but giving up smoking in 2006 made a notable difference.

 

Coloured lenses are great for 'appearance' but I'd avoid using regular and stick to prescription lenses for every day use where possible.

 

You may have been advised to go back to wearing glasses which might be really annoying / pain, but at the end of the day, it will be worth it!

 

Hope everything works out ok. :dukesy:

[Robster 0]

how did you get on alex ..did the other docs say any different ?

 

I really do hope so , you have been in my thoughts and prayers