Corneal Transplant

I have poor vision. In 1993, I had RK surgery on one eye. Had the surgery been "successful", I would have had surgery on the other eye. Gut instinct and unstable vision, told me not to. A healthy eye, albeit poor vision was more important to me, even at that age.

For 15 years now, and three eye doctor's later, I've definitely had my share of combative eye appointments. When I first met my second eye doctor, whom retired in the past year, we didn't hit it off very well. (I know that's probably pretty shocking to hear!) My unprofessional/non-medical diagnosis of my post surgical eye didn't jive with his medical assessment. To explain the vision in my eye, it was clearest when I woke in the middle of the night. I explained it as in those moments when my brain and my eyes weren't communicating, I could see clearly. It only lasted moments upward to a minute.

The vision in my surgical eye was never as good as when I first took off the bandage. Like the first day I put on glasses, glasses that had been needed for years prior. The color of the foliage on the trees, the license plate numbers, the vibrant colors associated with the former blurriness of the assumed. And then...the vision got worse. It was unstable at best.

I've come to live with it. To accept it. It seems like it's become more stable after the first ten years. I still struggle at times with my contact, never knowing if the prescription is too weak or too strong. The doctor tells me that I have 20/20 vision, but I just don't see it (literally). Apparently I do have 20/20 vision, if I were looking through a pinhole, which of course I'm not.

Not only do I struggle with clarity, I struggle with depth perception. Since I opted to only have surgery on one eye, the other eye's prescription is far worse. My eyes work independently of each other. I've been told that I can never wear glasses, but 14 hours plus of contacts is just unacceptable. About four years ago, I forced my doctor to order me glasses, against his better judgment. My eyes just need a rest, especially on the weekends when I lay low and stay home. I love my glasses. I have a "slab off line" aka bi-focal line in the one lens which is suppose to help my eyes work together. I've never noticed that it works, but well...it's there.

Strong supporters of Lasik have urged me to consider having surgery on my poor vision eye. Due to the RK, I couldn't have anything done with the right eye. Since the surgery wasn't a success in my eye(s), I am pretty pessimistic about the idea of doing anything further to my eyes. Contacts work for me, and I'm OK with that.

I did have the pre-test for Lasik to see if I was a good candidate. I found out that I am not. My cornea isn't thick enough for the surgery to be successful. Besides, if it were, I would still need a contact in the right eye. So if I have to wear one, why not two?

My option...a corneal transplant. Similar to a cataract replacement. Just the sound of it makes me weary. Again, if my vision can be temporarily corrected, why pursue other options that may cause additional damage, problems or issues?

Occasionally I think about the idea. After tonight, I don't think I'll consider it ever again. I just finished watching The Eye. Yep, no chance in the next decade, possibly even this lifetime will I now consider a corneal transplant.