KC and cataract

[CARMELTHOMPSON]

Hi, I've had KC and cataracts in both eyes for some time, in the last year I've had corneal graft redos to them both and had the cataract removed from the left eye. I use a 23mm scleral lens in the right eye, even though there are still stitches in it, and the cataract is getting worse. The treatment plan is to either remove the sutures when there is enough scarring, and sort out the cataract, or to leave the sutures in and do the cataract anyway. In the meantime, the vision in my right eye is hazy and sepia tinted, both with and without the lens. Has anyone else experienced this and, if so, is it normal? I'm hoping that once the cataract is out, things will be clearer and I might be able to drive again. As I only had left eye ops in August, it's too soon to start trying lenses, and the eye is very dry so I'm using Hylo every hour!

[Green]

Have you tried Hylo-Forte? It's thicker than Hylo-Tear?
Also Hylo-Night ointment just at night I find really good

[Anne Klepacz]

Hi Carmel,
Everyone's experience of vision with KC is different, and if you add in cataracts as well, it's hard to say what is 'normal'. Like you, I've had transplants in both eyes and a regraft in just one of them, and I've had cataracts removed from both eyes. Having talked to other KC people with cataracts, the rate at which cataracts progress seem to be as variable as KC progression!
For me, cataracts certainly made the vision more hazy, and a white page looked cream through the cataract. Removing the cataract restored whiteness and clarity to the world.
In the regrafted eye, the cataract removal was a couple of years after the regraft so all the stitches had been removed by then (I think a rejection episode which meant increased steroid use accelerated the cataract). It's not easy making the decision on timing of operations so you really need to be guided by the medics on whether it's safer to wait until after the sutures are out or whether it makes little difference.
For other KC people with cataracts, the important thing is that the operation should be done by a corneal surgeon. And for ungrafted KC eyes, there are different issues of what sort of replacement lens is used when the cataract is removed which the optometrist can advise on.

[CARMELTHOMPSON]

Thank you for the suggestions, I use Hylo Forte and Xailin a lot, the Hylo night seems to have been discontinued but the Xailin works just as well. Interesting to read that steroid use can impact the cataract - that explains a lot! The cataract will be done by the graft surgeon, so I have no worries there, I just hope he gets on with it!!