Ed's interview
Error
How did all start?
I was told by my doctor years ago that one day I will need cornea transplants
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
Yes, and just had new corneas transplanted in both eyes, 44 days apart.
For what medical specialties have you been treated? What has been the most useful specialty for your?
I had used hypertonic saline drops 5% 3 or 4 times a day for years until the surgeries
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Surgery, of course
What have been your biggest difficulties?
Prior to surgery, driving at night, early morning focus problems.
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
No
What things have you stopped doing?
Since the surgery, nothing.
What do you think about the future?
Cannot wait for new prescription in my glasses, which will probably be 2-3 months post-op. I already see the 'vividness of color' again, which is very exciting. I will probably undergo cataract surgery, so my glasses may be a thing of the past.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
The funny answer is...'The Summer of '69'...those were the best days of my life. Some of you will get that musical reference (Bryan Adams). What I did through my life does not apply to this.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
I have achieved everything I set out to do to this point.
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
Blessed.
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
When they tell you it is time for the surgery, schedule it! I had DMEK and recommend it over DSAEK, as it is quicker and recovery time is less. Do not put it off. The words 'transplant,' 'donor eye tissue,' make it sound daunting, but honestly, the surgery is a 'nothing-burger.' 30 minutes or less and you are awake throughout. No pain during or post-op. Follow the doctor's orders on recovery to the letter. I used Parker Cornea in Birmingham, AL USA and the experience could not have been better. Jack Parker, MD, PhD performed my DMEK and Gerrit Melles, MD, PhD (who Jack trained under in the Netherlands) happened to be in Jack's office during one of my visits, so I got to meet the man that developed the procedure. It was like meeting the real Santa Claus!
