To fellow transplant patients and everyone else who shared their own stories, left a kind word, or read along quietly: your honesty and courage made this space feel far less lonely. I’m grateful to each of you.

To the doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for me along the way: thank you for your skill and patience. Nothing on this site replaces personal medical advice (please always talk to your own team)—but I will never stop being thankful for the people behind my care.

To friends and family who cheered me on, listened, and carried extra when my eyes or my nerves were worn thin: you know who you are, and I’m lucky to have you.

What happens next: I’m leaving the site online as a static archive so it can keep helping anyone who finds it. I won’t be monitoring comments or posting updates. If something here is useful to you, I’m glad; if you’re on your own journey, I wish you steady healing and good people in your corner.

With gratitude,
Scott

Everything with my eyes is great.  I continue annual exams which include a look at the graft and it has been completely quiet.  My allergies kick in occasionally but I manage those with Allegra.

I’ve been doing Tobradex (a combination of tobramycin and dexamethasone) prior to influenza vaccines and COVID shots, but I’ve recently learned that this may not be required?   I’m planning to ask my doctor soon.  If it’s not, I’ll update the posts I have on here about using it.

I spend a lot of time hiking, mountain biking and kayaking with my wife. 

Improved Corneal Cross-Linking (CXL):

Better oxygen availability and riboflavin permeability during treatment.

Iontophoresis-Assisted CXL (I-CXL):

A non-invasive alternative to standard CXL for a more comfortable treatment.

Combined Topography-Guided PRK and CXL:

Promising results in corneal flattening and stabilizing keratoconus progression.

Intracorneal Ring Segments:

Effective option for reshaping the cornea and improving vision now exist.

New Contact Lens Designs:

Better fitting and more comfortable options for patients.

Early Detection and Screening:

Allows for earlier intervention and potentially better long-term visual outcomes.

Pharmaceutical Treatments:

Ongoing research into medicines that may manage or slow keratoconus progression.

New Surgical Techniques:

Methods like “biological covering” with a lamellar corneal graft for treating acute total keratoconus.

I asked Dr. Koffler what care I needed to take related to my graft and the Shingrix shot.  They suggested that Tobradex – same as I use for Influenza vaccines – would be fine and would cover both.

I’m having more dry eyes than before now, so am keeping Systane with me at night, adding drops anytime I’m even slightly awake.

When I do have a “dry eye pinch” (usually caused by opening my eyes suddenly while they are dry) it can cause me to have blurred vision for 24 hours, which doesn’t make it easy to work!)  So I’m doing all I can to avoid this happening.

I’m reconsidering Restasis again, despite the cost…but Dr. Koffler told me about a dry eye “serum” which can be created from my own blood (really!) and turned into eye drops that lubricate as well as heal.  That sounds amazing, and I assumed it would be horribly expensive but he said it was about the same per-dose use as Systane.

I am giving it serious thought, but for now, my dry eye is fully under control and my vision is sharp.

Also:  No significant changes to my prescription, so have no plans right now to change glasses.

Update: I also have some thoughts that this blurring is also caused by medicine, including Benadryl and Zyrtec.  Apparently these impact one of the muscles that is used for close vision focus.

After a clean bill of health from Koffler Vision Group, the diagnosis was dry eye, so I’m ramping up the Restasis ($) and systane.   I had them check my eye pressure, look at the optic nerve, and check the corneal thickness.  The Dr. said my graft looked “gorgeous” and I had no worries there.  My vision checked out at 20/30 and I was out of there!

All came out great.  I know I’m hypervigilant and possibly a bit psychosomatic, but I really value my vision.

Several have asked me how I’m doing.  The graft and my vision are great as of Jan 2019.   I have my 6-month check up coming up next week, and plan to update my glasses prescription (my glasses are scratched up!)  I have not been wearing contacts for the past several years – I just like the bifocals.

Allergy seasons come and go, and I can definitely feel more itch in the grafted eye (more nerve endings?)   But that’s just about the only thing I can say about it – mostly it’s just fine.

I’ve not seen Dr. Holland in a while, opting to see Dr. Koffler and Associates here in Lexington for routine checks.

If you’re a corneal transplant recipient who gets flu shots, you may want to ask your corneal surgeon if you should use Tobradex (or equivalent) to avoid potential rejection due to the flu vaccine.  My particular instructions involve taking some drops a few day before my flu shot, and then for several times per day for a month afterward.  My doctor also recommended that I continue with Restasis as it provides some measure of rejection prevention.

This is done in an abundance of caution, I think.  But it’s worth a quick call to see if it might reduce your own chances for rejection.

“Good vision contributes to overall well-being and independence for people of all ages, so it’s important not to cut corners on healthy contact lens wear and care,” Dr. Jennifer Cope, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC, said in an agency news release. “We are finding that many wearers are unclear about how to properly wear and care for contact lenses,” Cope said.

Four-fifths admitted keeping their contact lens cases for longer than recommended, and more than half said they add new solution to the existing solution instead of emptying the contact lens case first. About half reported wearing their contact lenses while sleeping.

Each of these behaviors boosts the risk of eye infections by five times or more – CDC

Each of these behaviors boosts the risk of eye infections by five times or more, according to the CDC. The study was published in the Aug. 21 issue of the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The CDC outlined the following ways contact lens wearers can reduce their risk of eye infections:

• Wash your hands with soap and water, and dry them before touching contact lenses.
• Remove contacts before sleeping, showering or swimming.
• Rub and rinse contacts in disinfecting solutions each time you remove them.
• After each use, rub and rinse the contact lens case with solution, dry the case with a clean tissue and store it upside down with the caps off.
• Don’t add fresh solution to old solution.
• Replace contact lens cases at least once every three months, and carry a pair of backup glasses in case you have to remove your contact lenses.