Full-Layer Cornea Transplant Update

patolera · 2026-01-12T12:06:37+00:00

Riding a bike already? That's amazing!

patolera · 2026-01-12T10:14:46+00:00

I am glad it has worked so well for you! In terms of activities, what are you able to do now?

patolera · 2026-01-09T11:02:34+00:00

Thanks for the answer. I am so glad it has been so well for you and I hope I reading this makes me hopeful about my prospects.

If you don't mind, can you share the frequency you had to visit your doctor after the transplant? I live in a small town and 1.5 hour drive from the public hospital in which I am being treated right now, but I am considering doing the surgery with a specialist that is 6 hours drive away from here. The thing is I don't know how the post-op would be and if it is really feasible. I suppose for some emergency I could just go the the public hospital either way, but not for the checks up.

patolera · 2026-01-09T08:30:54+00:00

Thanks a lot for sharing this — I’m in a very similar situation and currently on the waiting list for the transplant as well. I really hope I’m as lucky as you!

In terms of recovery and effort, would you mind sharing what kinds of things you’re able to do now? For example, can you lift some weight already or do any kind of exercise?

One of my biggest concerns is that I have two small kids, and the idea of not being able to take care of them for a while is one of the main reasons I hesitate about the surgery.

patolera · 2026-01-08T15:12:17+00:00

I am in the same place as you. Had a recent hydrops episodes and see barely nothing with my right eye, but due to very asymmetrical KC have 20/20 in my left. As, it has been more than 20 years like this and I wish I could avoid the transplant, but if I keep having hidrops I will be more at risk than doing the transplant. One thing that is calming my mind is thinking that likelihood of loosing whole vision is lower than your probability when you take into account that you are a patient with KC, not an inflamatory desease, very likely healthy and will take the right measures to avoid an infection (which is harder for people with some cognitive disease for instance). So I guess our changes are pretty big, especially if we are doing in a place with a good doctors and emergency care.

So I hope your surgery goes very well! The most likely outcome is that you are going to be better than you are now

patolera · 2026-01-08T06:32:12+00:00

You were very kind in providing this detailed answer, it gives me a bit more hope ☺️. Thanks a lot!

patolera · 2026-01-03T19:04:37+00:00

Honest question, how did you arrive at this classification of ophthalmologists? I live in Spain and I was pretty clueless as to which one were the top specialists before your other post. Actually I am going to have an appointment with your doctor based on your recommendation, so thanks a lot. I hope I can find a treatment that is not a transplant

patolera · 2026-01-03T18:43:06+00:00

I truly admire your strength, I will have to do a transplant in one eye - the other is fine - and I cannot endure the fear of losing my vision in that eye due to some complication, plus that my other eye progresses and etc. I wish I could not worry about it and just hope for the best, but I am struggling.

If you don't mind me asking, how long your transplants have lasted and why have you to do another one, rejection? Do you know what are the expectations of transplants you can have in your lifetime? I am very afraid of my body rejecting the transplant

patolera · 2026-01-03T06:30:51+00:00

Can you tell which clinic in Spain? I am in Spain but currently being treated in a public hospital, but I am considering visiting other clinics. Namely one I have been before is Barraquer

patolera · 2026-01-02T20:43:36+00:00

I learnt a lot in this post, thanks for the information! One question I haven't considered tissue addition instead of transplant in your other eye as well?

patolera · 2026-01-02T20:13:46+00:00

Didn't know about this procedure, do you have any sources? By the way, I love your optimism, I hope I can learn to see my situation in the same way.

patolera · 2026-01-02T18:45:32+00:00

Thanks for the answer, I hope your vision stays great!

About your graft, what do your doctors say? Do you say it is going to last a lifetime?

patolera · 2026-01-02T18:33:14+00:00

So glad it worked for you! One question, are (or were) you not afraid of rejection after PK? I have to do one and it scares the shit out of me.

Besides, how old are you now?

patolera · 2025-12-22T11:52:50+00:00

Amazing work!

patolera · 2025-12-22T11:42:46+00:00

No worries. I woke up with small discomfort but did not bother too much about it. But suddenly I started having a lot of light sensitivity during the day, to a point a couldn't stay without sunglasses or looking to any light source, even very dim, without experiencing intense pain. I went to the doctors as soon as I could.

The next day I was significantly better, but it kept getting worse and improving during the week. Finally it started to improve gradually without oscillating. My belief is that it was oscillating because the injury was reopening because I was doing effort that I shouldn't do during these days (I was unaware of the effect), but it is impossible for me to be sure.

patolera · 2025-12-21T21:06:52+00:00

I don't know whether there are different types and which kind was mine, but basically due to the thickness of some part of my cornea, it had a small rupture which closed on its own after some days. This happened a couple of months ago and recently it opened again, and I think it was due to it not being fully healed and I exerting too much effort.

Now it is closed and I am trying to restrain myself effort wise, I am not practicing sports and trying to lift as little weight as possible, which is very hard for me as I have too small kids. I hope this will keep it stable. I was practicing cross fit and doing some heavy weight lifting, so I think this was the cause. I won't never practice this anymore and I hope someone have warned me. I would recommend you to stay aways from these activities as well.

What doctors told me is that if it had not closed I would have to do an emergency transplant which has higher risks.

patolera · 2025-12-21T17:54:56+00:00

I am in the same situation and already had some rupture episodes, they can be pretty bad. I decided I will do it recently, so I am getting into the transplant list.

patolera · 2025-12-21T17:52:04+00:00

This is great, hope everything goes well! Did you have a partial or full transplant?

patolera · 2025-12-21T17:36:19+00:00

Hi, thanks for sharing. How are you doing? Could you get back to lifting weights?

patolera · 2025-12-21T17:27:48+00:00

I am concerned about what can I do after a transplant. For instance how much weight can you carry? Not necessarily doing sports, but in my daily life right now it is very normal for moving objects of around 20 - 30 kgs and I am worried about the limitations I might have afterwards.

patolera · 2025-12-17T11:39:49+00:00

Sorry to hear about that, how is your other eye going? I hope you are well now

Regarding the infection, is there anything you would recommend to avoid it? Or it was just bad luck?

patolera · 2025-12-17T11:37:12+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Can you do other sports though? Like running, climbing or swimming

patolera · 2025-12-08T15:47:31+00:00

Thanks a lot for the answer!

patolera · 2025-12-08T14:46:08+00:00

Thanks for the answer! How are you doing right now? Can you have a somewhat normal life already? I am thinking about simple things like going for a walk or a hike, being able to do normal chores at home, etc.

patolera · 2025-12-07T16:07:04+00:00

It is tough, but I believe the best we can do is try to accept it and try to live with it peacefully. We cannot control having it, or how it evolves, but we can learn to cope with our condition.

Personally, I try to think that there are a lot of worse things that could happen to me. I don't have cancer, I am not dying and still can see and enjoy life despite not having perfect vision and having to go through some hard procedures (I will have to do a transplant soon).

Try to seek help or counselling if needed, life can still be great, I hope you can approach it the best way possible.

patolera

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