I can see clearly now!

[William769]

I just got my new glasses & let me tell you it's been rough. Seeing far away has not really been a problem, but to see something up close forget it (I'm basically blind) my optometrist advised me that my glasses would look like whats referred to as coke glasses and of course I said that ain't gonna happen. Then he told me about Polycarbonate Lenses. He said they were more expensive but they could put a strong prescription in a thinner design. So I went with these lenses. A whole new world has opened up to me.

Of course my best friend told me "see you really aren't a size queen, you just needed something you could see!" LOL!

Just thought I would share this with all of you.

[SamG]

1. Congrats upon your new glasses.

Now you will not look upon us small guys in the same way ever again.....!!! LOL

Just kidding.

But we all need good eye sight if we can get it.

[Warpy]

2. Welcome to my world

It's taken a whole bunch of surgeries but my eyes are pretty workable now but with jar bottom lenses. I discovered the lightweight lenses about 8 years ago and never looked back. The lens on my right eye is over a quarter of an inch thick but not that much heavier than the fairly normal one on my left.

[William769]

3. It's only been in the last year that my eye sight has taken a turn for the worse.

And it came with a vengeance. I have been going to the Baskem Palmer eye Institute and am waiting on a cornea transplant for my right eye.

[Warpy]

4. I had a transplant 6 years ago and the first 2 weeks SUCK

because it feels like somebody has been rubbing steel wool into your eye. After that, your cells will grow over the stitches and it won't be quite as bad, but it was a rough 6 months until they came out.

You won't be able to get enough artificial tears into them, just be forewarned. I found Bion tears to be the best but they're insanely expensive and overpackaged. Systane does the next best job.

I need jar bottom glasses because I can't use contacts due to another medical condition. However, if you can use contacts, the vision in your transplanted eye should be good to excellent.

I have a cousin who is 52 years out on a corneal transplant. She tells me the transplanted eye continues to improve.

[William769]

5. Thanks for the insight.

One of my biggest problems will be that I live in Fort Myers and the eye institute is in Miami about 2 and half hours one way.

I was told I would be making a lot of trips & gas just hit $4.00 a gallon here.

P.S. I really appreciate everything you told me.

[Warpy]

6. I had appointments a day, a week and a month postop

and then every three then six months once the stitches were out. Or would have if I hadn't had a couple of complications due to underlying illness.

You might want to hang out in a hotel for the first week postop, it's a hell of a lot easier than going back and forth so frequently.

One good thing about corneas, they're not vascular and rejection is very rare. Just use all the drops as ordered and you should come through just fine.

[HillWilliam]

7. I find myself in the category of

"I thought I had some issues until . . .". I'm so sorry you guys have had/will have it rough. I'm facing cataract surgery some time in the next couple/three years, but that's down to a relatively simple science as compared to what y'all are having to deal with.

Our love and thoughts are with y'all.

Always.