Hermione – I no longer think about my eyesight

My parents became very concerned about my declining eyesight as we have a history of retinitis pigmentosa in the family, and this condition is associated with sight loss. We wanted the best expertise we could get.

My Mum helped me to make an appointment at Moorfields Private, where they examined my eyes and ran various eye tests. My consultant confirmed I had keratoconus and suggested a surgical procedure called cross-linking to stop the disease progressing.

At that time, I didn’t know anything about keratoconus, and the word ‘surgery’ in itself made me feel anxious. However, I felt reassured at Moorfields Private. My consultant talked me through the procedure and answered all of my questions in a very calm and easy-going manner. I was given relevant and easy to understand reading material and made as comfortable as possible at every step by everyone I met at the hospital.

On the day of the surgery, my Mum accompanied me to the hospital for emotional support and to drive me home after the procedure. I felt nervous, but also confident in my consultant’s expertise and the care I was receiving.

My consultant performed cross-linking on both of my eyes and the whole process took less than an hour. I felt it went quite quickly and it was not painful. I had numbing eye drops administered just before the operation and, although I could see straight after the surgery, it felt strange, and I was glad my Mum was there to drive me home.

After my procedure, I was given medicine, care instructions and advice to help me with the recovery. In addition, I had my consultant’s contact details and I was encouraged to get in touch directly if needed. It felt very reassuring.

The first couple of days were the hardest, as my eyes felt very gritty and extremely sensitive to any light. I had to apply the eye drops often throughout the day and wear sunglasses indoors, letting in as little light as possible. I was off for a couple of weeks listening to music, documentaries, and podcasts during my recovery. 

My consultant checked my eyes at my follow up appointment and then I had a couple of more check-ups a few months apart. He confirmed the procedure was successful and my condition was no longer progressing.

I am now able to wear contact lenses, which I got prescribed and shown how to use at Moorfields Private. These are very comfortable and work for my lifestyle. I love them! I now feel more confident occasionally wearing glasses too.

I no longer worry about my eyesight, which, I guess, is how it is supposed to be, and it makes my daily life easier. And when I play tennis, it feels like it’s in High Definition (HD) compared with how it was for me before. I can see my opponent’s face and my eyes are on the ball.