The Sight Site :Keratoconus and PMD

Red Ring Round Iris after Wearing RGP Lens

admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:48:17 +0000

I wear a Jupiter contact lens on my left eye to correct my keratoconus ( PMD). The lens is basically a very large RGP contact lens.. sometimes called a semi sceleral lens.
I have notice lately that my lens can be a bit painful and at night when I take lens out there is a red ring around one side of my iris- like popped blood vessels. Its gone in the morning.

I have appointment with fitter next month and hopefully they can help me with the issue. I do notice that it is worse when i take allergy medication so I think it may be related to dry eyes.

Allergies and Allergy Medication Affecting Contact Lens Fit

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:07:48 +0000

Argh. I suffer from terrible allergies in the spring. One of the worst things is that when I take an allergy pill my eyes dry right up and my hard contact lens becomes almost unbearable to wear.
I have been takingClaritin the (generic version is Loratadine. I was at my sisters last week and she only had Reactine ( called Zyrtec
in the States) generic name Cetirizine, and I took that- I noticed a big difference- my lens was not nearly as uncomfortable.
The difference was quite noticeable.

What I also do to relieve the pinching feeling I get is remove lens throughout the day and put fresh saline into the lens. This helps somewhat.
I am starting to think I need a new lens.
If you have any tips for wearing hard lens and allergies would love to hear them.

Should You Put on Make Up Before or After Inserting Your Contact Lenses?

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:30:49 +0000

I struggle with this one. I find my contact lens gets a bit gunky if I leave in and put one my eye make up with contact lens inserted. My eye make up can be pretty heavy on a Saturday night!
If I take out then I cant see to put in lens. I have kerataconus so when I don’t have my contacts in I am legally blind in left eye and struggling with right.
I did a bit of research and asked optician - general consensus is too put on eye make up WITH contact lens inserted.

From Viscon Contact Lens website:
* Apply cologne, deodorant, and hair spray before inserting your lenses.
* Wash hands thoroughly with oil-free soap prior to inserting lenses.
* Put your contacts in before applying make-up.
* Use a water-based but water-resistant mascara that is not prone to flaking. Two thin coats are better than one thick coat.
* Use a soft pencil eyeliner rather than a liquid or powdered version that will flake off.
* Use pressed powder eye shadow rather than liquid or cream. Never use pearlized or frosted types that may contain tinsel. ( Tinsel in my eye makeup?????)
* Always remove your lenses before removing makeup.
( Nothing like smearing greasy remover all overy your RGP’s !!! )

Info on Mini-Sclerals and Jupiter Contact Lens

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:20:58 +0000

I have been hearing alot about new content lens from Viscon.
I currently wear a Jupiter lens- sometimes called semi-scelreal because it is much small than large sceleral contact lens.

The Jupiter Scleral falls into 2 main design categories- the 15 mm diameter (mini-scleral) series and the 18 mm diameter series. Both series are true scleral lenses sharing the characteristics that they 1) Bear on the Sclera and 2) Vault the Cornea. A lens that bears on the cornea in any way is not a scleral lens although it may be a corneo-scleral or semi-scleral lens.

The Jupiter 18 mm series is designed to be a semi-sealed lens and does not need to closely contour the cornea. The scleral portion is designed to allow adequate tear exchange but hold a much larger volume of tears. It can address the most irregular and asymmetric corneas as well as provide a large tears for severe dry eye cases.

The Jupiter 15 mm series lens requires a closer contouring to the cornea as the scleral contact is less and the capillary forces must maintain an intact tear layer to prevent bubbles and corneal dessication. The lower volume of tears means tear exchange must be more frequent to prevent a toxic buildup under the lens.

For more info visit :
Visionary Optics

My Keratoconus Getting Worse and Painful Contact Lens

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:36:27 +0000

I am still only wearing one lens ( semi- scleral or Jupiter contact lens) on my left eye. The Lens is like a very large RGP. It doesn’t give me crystal clear vision like I had with regular RGP lens but its very very comfortable.
I was SUPPOSED to get fitted for new one several months ago- however when I was at regular eye doctor she said lens looked fine.
I do notice more pain in my eye. It gets quite sore and sometimes a feeling of pinching or sharp pain in the eye. I notice it is especially bad were eye is dry - while driving in heated car for example.

When lens out can barely see anything in left eye- horrible distortion which makes watching TV before I go to bed a pain.

I am trying to keep lens of right eye for as long as possible.

Keratoconus/PMD and Synergeyes Contact Lens Not a Good Option

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:45:57 +0000

A few people have posted comments on how much they love the Synergeyes.
My fitter is considered top in Canada and specializes in Keratoconus and PMD. She sees about 20 + patients a day. She refuses to fit people in Synergeyes because she feels they don’t supply enough oxygen to the eye. She does think they will be a hybrid on the market in next couple of years that will work but right now they can’t get the soft skirt to stay attached to rigid lens. She says she has always been able to find a lens solution that works without resorting to using the Synergyees.
I am currently in a Jupiter contact lens ( semi scleral ) and comfort and fit is great. The vision I am not thrilled with but I am getting a new lens next week.
Apparently it is too steep and fluid is getting in behind lens and changing prescription. It sure is frustrating and been a year since I was diagnosed and still not happy with my vision.

Jupiter Semi- Scleral Contact Lens

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:54:50 +0000

Well After months of trying to wear a regular RGP contact lens I am in a semi Scleral Jupiter lens. I love it!
it is about the zie maybe bit bigger of a soft contact lens. It is bit scary becasue it is totally hard. The learning curve on getting it in was difficult I will not lie. Took about 10 tries. Taking it out a breeze.
They are VERY comfortable the dont move and extremely comfortable. I wear at least 8 hours with no problem and often push it to 10+ my eye is sore. If I wear for 12 hours my eye is sore and sore the next day. I do notice vision not as clear as with RGP. I really really could not get a good fit with RGP and tried what feels like a zillion different lenses. I felt like my vision was in hi def with the RGP and these are still more like VHS or maybe a a dvd. being able to wear these and no risk of them popping out all the time has been great and well worth it however. With rgp I did not need reading glasses and I do with the Jupiter contact lens. I go back in couple of weeks for progress check and will see what they can do.

Easier Contact Lens Removal with Suction Cup Tool

admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:03:39 +0000

Having Trouble Removong Your Hard Contact Lens?

eek- the title of my post is much scarier sounding than it is. I got a RGP Inserter/Remover. It is small silicon tool with a tiny “suction cup” on the end to aid in the removal of my hard contact lens. You can also use to insert but I have never bothered. When I have been removing my hard lens it often slips the hard lens edge scrapes my eye or worst case then lens does a flip and I have lost TWO ( at $185 a pop!).
None of my local optometrists know what I as talking about when I mentioned a suction cup to remove hard lens.
Finally at specialist they not only knew about them but sold them and showed me how to use. The cost was 5.00 and well worth it.

Still No Contact Lens for My Keratoconus

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:24:07 +0000

Yes, its been almost 8 months and I still don’t have a properly fitting contact lens for my keratonic eye.
I was diagnosed late August this year and have jumped though a zillion hoops to get help.

I go to a teaching hospital and care is excellent- just the process takes a long time.
If you are diagnosed with Keratoconus or PMD I cannot emphasis enough how important it is to get some one with experience with the disease.
The first eye doctor to diagnose was very nice, experienced and competent but just didn’t have much experience. After a few tries at fitting me with a hard rigid gas permeable contact lens she went to SynergEyes contacts which are not only expensive but don’t allow as much oxygen to the eye.
By fluke I ended up at School of Optometry and got “experts” to do fitting.
Last week was I HOPE my final fitting for a while. The guy did tell me most people with Keratoconus take about a year from diagnosis to get a good fit (!) Which no none told me at beginning.

“Kissing Birds” On Eye Topography Sign of PMD

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:15:56 +0000

When I as at eye doctor last month being fitted yet again for a hard contact lens he showed me the topography of my eye. I was wondering how advanced the Keratoconus ( I actually have PMD or Pellucid Marginal Disease) was in my right eye. He showed me my left and pointed out the classic “kissing birds” image on the map of my moderately affected left eye.
He said with regular Keratoconus who see a more lazy 8 shape and with PMD “kissing birds” below is an example of MD so you can see what he meant. I have never heard it put that way and though it was neat way of looking at it.