KJ's Eyes

[kjsspot]

So, I’ve always had really bad eyes with my first glasses in 3rd grade. I’m severely myopic (-16 at my last visit,) keratoconus, corneal erosions, and I’ve even had a spontaneous retinal tear several years back. Well, now add cataracts to that list. I’ve been putting off surgery for many years now but it’s time to fix them. I’m at the point where my contacts aren’t correcting enough anymore.

Before they do they want to reinforce my cornea due to my keratoconus. So there are two options for this, one is covered by insurance, but is more of a band aid and more invasive. And the other is a fairly new procedure but should have longer lasting results.

The one that is covered by insurance is called an Intacs Ring. Basically they implant a support structure under the cone of the cornea to lift it and change the shape.

The second one, not covered, is much less invasive. They soak my eyeballs in Riboflavin and expose them to ultra violet light. This causes the proteins to cross link, firming the cornea and reducing the bulge.

I still have to call my insurance company to dive in a bit, but in thinking about these, I realized something. The first one is like having an underwire permanently implanted. Whereas the second one is like getting a boob job to lift and firm.

Heeeeehehehehehe

[PinkDiamond]

Ahahaha! What a sense of humor you have KJ!!

Keep us posted on what you choose, and how it goes. We'll be rooting for you either way.

[kjsspot]

heh It'll be a drawn out process. No quick fix.

But.. I was thinking. If I take a bath in Vit B and walk around naked in the sun it should lift and firm everything right??

[PinkDiamond]

LOL! I dunno but if you try it and it works let us know so we can firm and lift everything too; or at least those of us who live out in the boonies since we wouldn't want to cause a ruckus doing that in the city.

[SwordfishMining]

I hate making those kind of choices. Hope it does the trick. mY folks sure like seeing again even though Im not sure what procedure they did. Good luck on that and follow the drs orders on recovery.

[Artfldgr]

the latter is better as it leaves the first option available years from now..
just my 2cents

[kjsspot]

i think the latter is better too but I have to have $5k out of my pocket instead of just the 10%. And, I have to delay the fix for 3 months.

[Artfldgr]

[Artfldgr]

Stanford lab grows cornea cells for transplant
Lab-grown cells could refurbish diseased or damaged eyes
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/04/15/s ... ransplant/

A Stanford research team has created a potentially powerful new way to fix damaged corneas — a major source of vision problems and blindness.

Millions of new eye cells are being grown in a Palo Alto lab, enlisting one of medicine’s most important and promising new tools: refurbishing diseased and damaged tissue with healthy new cells.

“One of the exciting possibilities of this cellular approach is that one donor cornea,” which contributes a few parent cells, “can generate enough cells to treat tens or hundreds of patients,” said lead researcher Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg, professor and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

more at link
graphic
https://i2.wp.com/www.mercurynews.com/w ... eyefix.jpg

[PinkDiamond]

Awesome, Art! Thanks for showing them to us, and KJ, have you thought about a go-fund me page to finance it?