Want Freedom from Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses?
If you’re looking for freedom from glasses and contacts, you’ve come to the right place! The eye doctors at in LOCATION1 will bring your whole world into sharper focus with PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) laser surgery. But what exactly is PRK and how does it work? We’ll answer these questions and more, below.
What Is PRK Laser Surgery?
Just as with LASIK, PRK corrects refractive errors by reshaping the cornea. It can eliminate or reduce the need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses and treats the following refractive errors:
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Astigmatism
In all three conditions, the shape or surface of the cornea makes it impossible for light entering the eye to focus correctly on the retina. Laser eye surgery repairs corneal irregularities, which allows light to be focused accurately, for clear and sharp vision.
PRK is similar to LASIK, except that the eye surgeon doesn’t create a flap in the cornea. Instead, your LOCATION1 ophthalmologist removes the epithelium, the outer layer of the cornea.
The type of corneal restructuring your LOCATION1 surgeon will choose will depend on the magnitude of your refractive error, your corneal thickness, and the extent of your corneal irregularity.
Why Do Some People Need PRK Surgery?
PRK laser surgery is the procedure of choice for patients whose corneas are too thin for LASIK. The problem with thin and soft corneas is that they have a higher risk of bending out of shape and aren’t suitable for the creation of a flap (as in the case of LASIK).
A patient may also choose PRK if their profession places them at greater risk of getting hit in the eye and potentially causing flap movement. This includes boxers, martial artists, and wrestlers.
To help you decide which procedure is best for you, we invite you to speak with a Practice Name eye surgeon today
What to Expect Before PRK Surgery?
To begin, your LOCATION1 eye surgeon will perform a comprehensive eye exam to see whether PRK is right for you. The exam will assess your:
- Tear quality and quantity
- Corneal and epithelial irregularities
- Pupil size
- Corneal thickness and shape
The eye doctor will use a corneal topographer to precisely measure the shape of your cornea and determine the laser settings needed to produce the best outcome. The eye doctor will also ask you about your general health, preexisting eye conditions, and your medical and family history.
If you are a good candidate for laser eye surgery and you decide to go ahead with the procedure, the ophthalmologist will patiently discuss all the details and answer your questions.
Make sure you refrain from wearing contact lenses in the two weeks leading up to your surgery, as wearing them can affect the shape of your cornea.
What Happens During PRK Surgery
PRK surgery takes about 15 minutes, during which time the patient remains conscious. The eye surgeon will:
- Numb your eyes using eye drops and put a holder in your eye to keep you from blinking
- Remove the epithelium, the outer layer of the cornea.
- Ask you to focus on a target light and use a laser to direct laser light directly to your cornea to reshape it.
- Place a clear contact lens to reduce irritation during the healing process- much like a bandage.
- Remove the lens after 5 days, once the cells have grown back on the surface of the cornea.
Following PRK surgery, you’ll be given post-surgery instructions, medications and eye drops to ensure a successful and comfortable recovery.
The Benefits of PRK Laser Surgery
PRK is safe and highly effective and has a 95% success rate. Most patients achieve 20/20 or 20/40 vision following the procedure.
Since LASIK surgery involves creating a flap on the surface of the cornea, patients with a thin cornea cannot have LASIK. Those with dry eye syndrome should also consider PRK surgery, as nerves in the cornea that signal proper tear production can be cut off when creating the corneal flap during LASIK surgery.
Numbing eye drops are applied prior to surgery. This ensures the patient has the most comfortable and pain-free experience during the procedure.
Most patients can say goodbye to glasses and contact lenses after PRK surgery.
What Is the Recovery Time for PRK Eye Surgery?
It’s important to make sure that someone drives you home following your PRK procedure. Plan ahead to take a few days off work and avoid any strenuous activities during your recovery period.
The epithelium takes 3-4 days to heal. During this time, your vision will likely be blurry and you may experience some eye discomfort. To relieve uncomfortable symptoms, our eye surgeon will prescribe special eye drops.
By day 4-5 post-surgery, your vision will begin to clear up. Visual clarity will continue to improve for 3-6 months and then stabilize.
A few days after PRK surgery, you’ll have a follow-up exam. In another 5 days or so, you’ll come in for another appointment to remove the temporary contact lens once the epithelium layer of the cornea has healed.
As mentioned above, it may take a few weeks for vision to stabilize completely.
Correct Vision with PRK Surgery
At Opthalmology Practice Name we are here to answer all of your questions about PRK surgery. Contact us today to schedule a consultation or to determine whether PRK is right for you.
Which is the better choice? LASIK or PRK?
While PRK is the oldest form of refractive surgery, LASIK is more popular these days. There is no clear superiority of one procedure over the other. Whether the doctor opts for PRK or LASIK will depend on the patient’s eye health, corneal shape, thickness and irregularities, and the patient’s personal preferences. The main difference between the two surgeries is that with LASIK, the eye surgeon makes an epithelial flap in the cornea to access and reshape the cornea. With PRK, there is no flap, but the epithelium is removed. With PRK, there may be benefits as there are no corneal flap complications, and the new epithelium is free of previous irregularities. However, because the epithelium corneal layer is removed with PRK, there may be a higher risk of inflammation and a slightly longer recovery time. At the same time, PRK is the right option for those who can’t have LASIK surgery because their cornea is too thin, or who suffer from moderate to severe dry eye syndrome, since LASIK can interfere with tear production if corneal nerves are severed.
Will I Need Additional PRK Surgery?
One of the advantages of PRK surgery is that it can correct vision permanently. However, there are some cases in which a patient may have to have PRK surgery twice. Although the vast majority of PRK patients enjoy substantially improved vision, about 2% may not achieve ideal visual acuity after surgery and may need another procedure. Also, the cornea and vision can alter with age, and additional surgery may be needed to correct these changes.
What are some complications from PRK Surgery?
The majority of patients experience no long-term complications following PRK surgery, but the following are occasionally reported:
- Increased sensitivity to glare
- Appearance of halos around lights, usually at night
- Eye infection
- Blurry vision
- Red or uncomfortable eyes
If you experience any of these symptoms, alert your eye doctor right away.
Will Insurance Cover PRK Surgery?
Because PRK is often considered elective or cosmetic surgery, it is not usually covered by insurance. However, since PRK uses just one set of lasers instead of two for LASIK, it may be less costly than LASIK, which is a clear advantage for many patients.
Our practice serves patients from CITY 1, CITY 2, CITY 3, and CITY 4, and surrounding communities.