Tuesday 29 March 2011

9 months later - around half way will the stitches are scheduled to be removed.

Its now about 9 months since my operation.  I haven't updated the blogfor a while.  Partly this is because my eye doctor says I am far from a typical case and originally part of the purpose of this blog was to let people know what to expect.  The other reason that I haven't written for a while is that my eye has not been bothering me very much.

My eye has been largely free of pain the last 6 months or so.  It's also a lot less sensitive to light/wind etc then it was before the operation.  I am not sure how much to read into this as I am still on steroid eye drops (maxidex) which have a powerful inflamitory affect.  The real test will be when I come off maxidex.

My total vision from both eyes is pretty good and I am pretty happy with it.  Thats said my vision in the eye that was operated on is not great.  I can see 6/12 well and can probably get 9/12 just.   The amount of prescription needed by my eye has significantly and steadily decreased over the last 6 months, while my vision has maybe improved slightly.  Most of the decrease in the prescription needed for me eye is due to removing extra stitches that he added to hold my cornea steady.   These are one off stuicthes that he added after the first operation failed and he has not ever used them before.

I think my astigmatism is around 1 diopters and my short sightedness is around 2 or whatever they measure this in.  I'm not confident about that measure of short-sightedness.  At any rate its within what galsses should be able to correct effectively and not so different from my right eye that the difference should cause complications.

My eye doctor is puzzled that my vision is not better.  When looking through a pin whole the eye can see  20/20 or better which suggests the issue is from my cornea.  He said he has done worse lookoing grafts and had patients get better vision from them then I have.  The topography of my eye looks okay.  Last time I saw him he was thinking about getting me to have a wave anaysis done on my eye, which should show where the light is going and why its not reaching my retina in an optimal way. 

There is a real chance that my vision will increase when the final stitches that go all the way around the outside of my cornea are removed.  There is also a chance that this will not help.  Untill I get a wave analysis done I don't think there is anyway to know why my vision is not better now.  I'm due to see my eye doctor in about 2 months and if my vision hasn't imporoved more by then I expect that the wave analysis will be the next thing he wants to do.  Given my total vision from both eye is pretty reasonable I'm not too concerned but I guess I will get it done.

While the vision hasn' t been as good as promised, if the comfort continues when I come off the medication the reduction in pain will make it worth while.  The eye does work wel enough for me to have good depth perception.  It's good to be freed from the hassle of managing a gas permiable contact lens.