How does someone specialise in Keratoconus?

This is a question that Jim Kokkinakis is commonly asked by patients and eye care practitioners alike.

This is a long and convoluted story but here goes…

Most cases of clinically significant keratoconus are managed by rigid gas permeable contact lenses, so as an optometrist Jim Kokkinakis had to develop the skill of contact lens fitting.

Unfortunately due to lack of patient numbers this skill is impossible to teach in a university setting.  This could only be taught under the supervision of an expert practitioner of the the time.  It was here that Jim Kokkinakis was lucky. He was taught by two practitioners; Robert Faulds and Penrhyn Thomas both influenced Jim’s interest in the lost art of rigid gas permeable contact lenses.

This is not where the story ends though. Even though Jim Kokkinakis was lucky enough to have two great mentors in 1996 he joined The Eye Institute as a part time consultant for Laser Eye Surgery.  The Eye Institute is a great ophthalmology facility that performs around 10% of all the corneal transplants in Australia.  Most of the corneal transplants are done because of keratoconus.  It was here that experience in the area of keratoconus really flourished.  The synergy between an expert optometrist and an expert corneal surgeon guarantees the best possible outcome for the keratoconus patient, as both parties clearly understand what is in the best interest of the patient.

About a year ago Jim Kokkinakis, Gerard Sutton, Michael Loughnan and Richard Lindsay published a manual for the Keratoconus patient.  As technology in Keratoconus updates we hope to keep updating the manual as misinformation with this frustrating condition seems to be the norm.

If you have keratoconus and would like to see Dr Jim Kokkinakis for a consultation why not call now on (02) 9290 1899.