Are You Interested in PRK surgery?

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What is PRK?

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a type of refractive surgery used to correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. The procedure removes the epithelial layer of the cornea, then uses a laser to shape the underlying stromal layer to improve the patient’s vision.

Who is a candidate for PRK?

PRK is a good form of vision correction for patients with stable vision and low to moderate refractive errors. The procedure was first used to treat nearsightedness, but more recently it has been used successfully on astigmatism and even farsightedness.

The surgeon will take certain precautions during consultations to ensure that PRK is right for a given patient. Patients who are pregnant are typically not allowed to undergo PRK, as pregnancy may interfere with the healing of the cornea. The patient’s refractive error and corneal thickness are measured. While a large refractive error may preclude a patient from having PRK performed, some patients with thin corneas may be directed to PRK because they cannot have LASIK performed. The surgeon will also take stock of the patient’s tear function, as extremely dry eyes may be cause for concern. Finally, the history of both the patient’s eyes and overall health will be examined for any irregularities.

How is PRK surgery performed?

Photorefractive keratectomy is an outpatient procedure that typically takes less than an hour. Before the procedure starts, anesthetic eye drops are administered. The patient is then reclined in a chair and a device called a lid speculum is placed over his or her eyes. This device keeps the eyelids open and out of the way of the laser. The surgeon may also use a suction ring that fixes to the cornea to stabilize the eye during the procedure.

To begin the surgery, the outer layer of the cornea, called the epithelium, is removed with blade-type instrument. The laser is then applied to the underlying corneal tissue, called the stroma. If the surgeon is correcting for nearsightedness, the cornea is flattened by removing tissue from the center. If the patient has astigmatism, PRK can correct it by removing tissue from various parts of the cornea in order to make the surface more symmetric. PRK has also been used to treat farsightedness by removing tissue from the periphery of the cornea to steepen its curvature. Regardless of the correction being made, the laser ablation is fairly short (about a minute).

After the surgery is complete, the surgeon protects the eyes with a bandage contact lens or other covering.

What is recovery like?

The initial recovery from PRK is generally slower and less comfortable than some other refractive surgeries (like LASIK) because the epithelium must completely regenerate after PRK. The patient is likely to experience significant discomfort for 24-48 hours, after which it should subside. The bandage contact lens is usually removed at this point. Complete regeneration should take place within 3-5 days. Moisturizing eye drops are usually prescribed soon after surgery, and the surgeon may recommend continuing them for several months.

Patients usually recover completely functional vision within one to two weeks, but it is not uncommon for PRK patients to experience hazy or cloudy vision that peaks at around four months, then clears up. Overall, visual recovery has been shown to be about the same as LASIK after six months.