Ann W’s DMEK Blog update February 2018
I put a little bit about my second Dmek/ cataract operation back in May 2016 in instalment 4 but sure enough by the time I had my Moorfields check up appointment in December 2016 I had forgotten all about my ‘at sea’ feeling got yet another pair of specs and was getting on with life .
But (there is always a but!) The transplants are great nice and clear and free of debris and much admired by my optician.
I however have not done so well on keeping my eye free from Blepharitis/Meibomianitis!
Some weeks after the second op at a Moorfields on a check up, (before going for new specs when I came home) it was mentioned that I had it. This was almost as an after thought by the fellow as I was leaving the room. Shock, horror on my part I had never heard of it I was just given a leaflet told it was very common and told to bathe the eyes with warm water and baby shampoo. Before the second op I was back and forth for specs and nothing was said about the bug because I didn’t have it. My optician would have certainly told me and when I went for spec and after the second op she brought the subject up.
I know its not surgery related and I know its not something that these highly technical people have time to advise on but its a shame that they don’t realise, that in most cases the patient is scared to do anything to the eye in case they muck the transplant up (that was definitely me) and perhaps it could possibly be avoided if advice could be given in advance.
The problem seems to occur if the normal bacteria on the skin gets chance to get a grip after the trauma of the op partially due perhaps, to the fact, you have to keep the eye dry. If you do get it you are stuck with it for good.
It’s not serious but you have to get it under control I haven’t managed it yet and have made some mistakes trying but I will win and will post how I did it and what I used. It is an expensive and tiresome nuisance to treat and it also blocks the glands in the eyelids which need lubricating drops about 6 times a day.
When I managed to get referred back to Bournemouth eye hospital (not that keen to travel to London) it appears there is completely new thinking on the treatment for this bug, basted on tea tree oil wipes/scrubs of various sorts and grape seed heated eye masks. The eye mask needs to be used twice a day for 5 to 7 mins and tea tree oil scrubs also twice a day plus an Omega3eye capsule taken with food once a day. I am doing all of this and If I had known what I do now, I would have asked if it would be okay to use tea tree wet wipes from Holland and Barrett’s and wiped my eye lashes and around my eyes in general making sure not to get any in my eye of course. It says to avoid the eye but they don’t sting and if you use the Cliadex /scrubs(suggested by Bournemouth hospital from America, which are very expensive, not to mention have a very unpleasant stinging sensation) to try and get the condition under control you will know that the tea tree wipes are not too strong.
Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes and avoid getting this, it’s not a big deal but it is a real nuisance!
Another subject
I was 70 years old in Sept 2016 and had to renew my driving licence with the DVLA. They send you a form without you needing to apply. You have to declare you have had surgery and they send you a medical form to fill in. I sent it back with the dates of when and where I had had the ops and my hospital number and offered to send my specs recent prescription if they needed it. I also said things had gone great and said the optician had commented that I had back the eye sight I had had years ago. My new driving licence arrived the following week without me having to do anything else.
Last subject Just in case you want to say thank you for the donor tissue
I could not find out who I needed to contact to say thank you but one of the Fuch’s members a lady gave me a starting point some time ago. The address is the National Referral Centre, Tissue Services, 14 Estuary Banks, Speake,
Liverpool L24 8RB I think the telephone number is 0845076821
You phone, leave your number and the lady rings you back and explains what you need to do, no personal information is used and she is very grateful, as not enough people do it mainly I think, because, it’s so difficult to know what to say, it took me ages to do and I wasn’t pleased with the result but anyone can have it as a starting point if it would help.
I’m writing all this because it’s too cold to carry on with my Lawn roll edging, garden project, done with a trowel, hammer and screwdriver, see I still live life in the fast lane thank goodness for transplants!
All the best and I hope some of this is of use to others.
Ann W in Bournemouth
In case you didn’t know:
Ann is married and is a member of the Fuch’s Friends-UK online support group which is an autonomous part of the world-wide Fuchs Friends online support groups . She was born and lives in the Great Britain seaside Town of Bournemouth. Ann spent most of her working life in secondary schools assisting teenagers with their special educational needs and also brought up her two (now grown up) children during this same period. During many years she travelled with her husband to quite a few far off lands. They recently bought a touring caravan and, with a rescue dog, will be off to sample the delights of the surrounding countryside as soon as spring arrives. She is lucky to have had her DMEK/Cataract operations on both eyes done by amazing surgeons with wonderful results. I’m sure you will find her story interesting.