I learn something new each time I tune into your podcast. I certainly did this time. I have been wearing a single Scleral Lens for just over a year. It was the last option for me according to multiple eye specialists based upon considerable eye damage from RK Surgery by Dr. Stephen Slade in Houston about 30 or so years ago. The resulting scar tissue apparently made a mess of my eye surface. But they worked well for a few years. After that brief miracle wore down, I had to return to wearing glasses, as he said I would. A few years later my optometrist suggested I see an ophthalmologist due to possible cataract problems. Naturally, I contacted Dr. Slade. After discussing my options, he confirmed the cataract and suggested that I would benefit from having the Crystal lens instead of the normal cataract replacement Lens. He was instrumental in the Crystal Lens development and testing. However, the Crystal Lens was still considered experimental and insurance would not cover the costs of $2,000 for each eye. I chose the Crystal Lens and selected the right eye being the first choice. The surgery was performed on a Friday and my eye was to remain covered until Sunday. When I removed the bandage, I could see nothing and panicked. I asked my neighbor to be ready to take me to Dr. Slade's office first thing Monday morning. (My wife had to be at her office for a very important meeting). Dr. Slade took one look at my eye and contacted Dr. Kim a specialist at the Texas Medical Center and asked her to intervene. A few minutes later, Dr. Kim took one look and began injecting antibiotics directly into my eye: seven injections. She said it was all that could be done at that point, trying to save as much vision as possible. I gradually adjusted to being blind in my right eye but accepted Dr. Slade's offer to perform Lasik on my good eye. It worked, and I could see well enough to continue driving and working at my job. But then I had a detached retina in the bad eye and Dr. Kim injected a gas bubble in the eye and required me to be face down all the time for three months, with no TV, computers, reading, or doing anything strenuous. After the first three months, the treatment failed and I had to do it all over again. Subsequent ophthalmologists, including Dr. Steven Dunn, President of the Texas Ophthalmologist Association at the time. He said he discussed my eye problems with other doctors seeking advice as to what may help me see again. One doctor at Texas Medical Center wanted to take a look. But he was a teacher and he just wanted his students to see what my eye looked like. After that, I finally retired and moved to Louisiana. I found a good ophthalmologist right away, and he quickly grasped the extent of the damage and that I had a worsening cataract. He did not want to risk cataract surgery on my good eye until I agreed to have it done. He also informed me that I had glaucoma. And after the cataract surgery started to wear off, and two glaucoma specialists stabilized my pressure, I eventually had to give up driving. Finally, one ophthalmologist suggested I see (pun intended) an Optometrist, Dr. Agnew, who had been having some good luck treating my kind of problem. She quickly recommended the Scleral lens, and I now wear it almost daily. But my vision isn't perfect: only 20/40 on a good day, and even that is troubled by dry eye problems. I still don't drive, although I manage to get my license renewed every six months with my doctor's certification that I meet the minimum visual requirements to drive. I write this because I really appreciate your open conversation about what your patients ask of you, and your sharing the many options that we don't know about or understand. When I knew I would never see again out of my 'good eye,' all I could think was that I'd struggle to do everything the rest of my life. That's not exactly true, at least emotionally anymore, but I do struggle physically with it. But I'm not totally blind, thanks to folks like you. Thank you for sharing this and all your episodes.
I'm injoying the conversation and thought I would mention my issues with my Scleral Lens. First of all, I will soon be 83 years old, and I'm in good health, thanks to some fine doctors in Louisiana where we now live. I had RK Surgery by none-other than Dr. Stephen Slade in Houston over thirty years ago. It gradually wore off as he said it would and I reverted to regular glasses until Lasik became an option. So I asked Dr. Slade if I was a candidate for Lasik and he said yes and suggested the new Crystal Lens to which I agreed in spite of it not yet being approved. Unfortunately, the first surgery on my right eye developed staph overnight and I lost vision in the eye. After many months of treatments by multiple specialists, I developed a catract in the good eye, and Dr. Slade combined the cataract and lasic and life went on. Then my good eye developed a cataract which was attended to by my new ophthalmologist here in Covington. But then my vision began to worsen, mostly due to the RK Sugery, and probably some of the related treatments and surgeries. And this was compounded by being diagnosed with glaucoma, followed by dry eye. I decided to stop driving due to my vision continuing to worsen. And, of course, I visited a numer of ophthalmologists, all saying they can't help due to the RK. Finally, one ophthalmologist suggested I see (pun intended) an optometrist who had some good results treating fromer RK patients. I went to see her and after a rether lenghty visit, she concluded that a Scleral lens in my good eye might help to restor my failing vision, at least well enough to return to driving. I think it was the sixth adjustment that I finally felt comfortable wearing the Scleral Lens. And I managed to score 20/40 on the visual test. That was enough to renew my driver's license every six months with her attesting that I can see well enough to meet the minimum requirements. I still prefer not to drive, but I could if I needed to. All of this is my way of saying that even when all else fails, there are professionals and technologies that give hope to us elderly folks, while also letting us know that we're worth the effort.
Спасибо за видео🙏 Я новичок в носке линз (первый день).С первого раза получилось снять линзы, благодаря видео. Оказывается это самое простое снять, вот одеть намного сложнее для меня.
Это самое лучшее видео из всех🥺💜 Я смотрела кучу видео про то как снять линзы с моими километровыми ногтями, но ни один способ мне не помог, а это видео гениально Сколько было пролито моих слез, сколько нервов потрачено, почему я это видео раньше не увидела 😅 Извиняюсь заранее за ошибки, я строчу этот коммент в эйфории 😹
Bendiciones !! Excelente video ... Que tan cierto es, ¿ Que ya están descontinuados los lentes de gas permeable ? Que ya no los están poniendo. Tengo 25 años usándolos
I have a lot of trouble trying to put my lens in my left eye, so much that once I got it in yesterday my eye wouldn't stop watering so I took it out and today my eye is swollen. I am going to try to find the egg. Where do we get that from?
Yo llevo ya un mes y aveces me lo coloco y me queda de una vez pero aveces no y es muy molesto ahorita lo tengo puesto pero no quedo dónde es y no se puede mover sé cómo si estuviera incrustado y se ve la carnosida del ojo horrible
I use a cheap funnel with a small light underneath. The rubber lens applicator fits snugly in the hole of the funnel. If you cut the bottom of the applicator, the light serves as a bullseye!
I have been wearing Sclerals for about six weeks and I LOVE them. I have extremely dry eyes due to Sjogren’s Syndrome and KC in my left eye. I can go 10+ hrs staying clear and wonderful vision. Then I start getting the goop on an around the lens - sometime it’s a stripe of goop along the bottom and side of the lens. This happens in both eyes. It alsmost seems to “stain” the lens with a line of cloudiness. I’m pretty sure it goes away after disinfection with Clear Care. I try to just rinse away the goop, but most times need to rub. After listening to this and reading the comments, it’s not unusual I guess. Great video.
Hello there, I would be grateful if you could help me with sth I'm so doubtful. Is it possible to wear RGP on left eye for example, and the soft lens on right eye? How OK is that? Thankful in advance!
