Cornea Transplants
Hello,
Although the posts go back 4 years I have no doubt that many people will be reading this thread. This is the top rated thread on Google for a search about kerataconus in pilots.
Some years ago someone wrote that "I will even consider a cornea transplant to get me flying"
I have Kerataconus in both eyes. Severe enough that I have had a full thickness cornea transplant in one of them. I do not fly and gave up the hope about 10 years ago when RGPs became my treatment. To be honest, even if they gave me a medical, I would not feel safe flying with RGPs! We've all had them cloud up, pop out of the eye when you quickly look fully left or right and in dry conditions slide off the centre of the eye.
Anyone reading this should take note, CORNEA TRANSPLANTS ARE A LAST RESORT AND BY NO MEANS DOES IT 'FIX' YOUR EYE SIGHT. The whole process takes 18 months to two years and there is pain, loads of eye drops and visits and at the end of it, guess what, I'm going to have an RGP fitted. For me this is fine because this is an improvement on what I had before but please be clear that seeing cornea transplants as this golden chalice is just mistaken.