PRK Eye Surgery

If you suffer from short sight, long sight or astigmatism, PRK eye surgery might be an option for you, with the result that you will not need to wear glasses or contact lenses any more. PRK eye surgery is very accurate and about 80% of PRK patients have 20/20 vision one year after surgery.

What is PRK Eye Surgery?

PRK eye surgery is a laser vision procedure used to correct vision. PRK stands for photorefractive keratectomy. In this procedure, the laser surgeon will use an excimer laser in this surgery to reshape the curvature of the eye.

This laser uses a cool, ultraviolet light beam to remove tiny bits of tissue from the cornea’s surface, in order to reshape it. When the cornea is reshaped, it will be more able to focus light into the eye and on to the retina, meaning your vision will be clearer than it was before. PRK was developed in 1986 and was the most common laser eye surgery before LASIK.

What is the Difference between PRK Eye Surgery and LASIK?

In LASIK eye surgery, a flap is created in the cornea but in the PRK eye surgery this is not required, so PRK is a better option for patients who have thin corneas, large pupils, dry eyes or other corneal problems. With PRK however, the recovery time is usually more than with LASIK and there is usually greater discomfort with this procedure.

What Happens in PRK Surgery?

A computerized, detailed map of the surface of your eyes is made before the surgery and the surgeon uses this to calibrate the excimer laser correctly. The technician will place an eyelid holder in your eye to keep it open and you will have some anesthetic drops put in your eye to numb it.

First the surgeon removes the epithelium, which is the protective surface layer of the cornea. This regenerates itself within five days. Next the surgeon smooths the area and applies cool laser pulses of light to reshape the eye’s curvature. The deeper cell layers are not affected.

This procedure takes less than a minute and a clear bandage contact lens is placed on the cornea immediately afterward, as protection, as well as eye drops. Only a tiny layer is removed from the cornea so it will keep its original strength. You might have one eye treated per day or the surgeon might do both on the same day.

After the PRK Surgery

Your eye might feel irritated for a few days after the PRK eye surgery but you can take medication to manage this. Your eyes might also be light sensitive or watery for a few days afterward. You might have visual fluctuations in the first week after the operation because this is when the corneal surface cells are regrowing.

Your vision will improve gradually and should be good enough for you to drive a car a couple of weeks after the PRK eye surgery. Your best vision might not happen for between six weeks and six months after the surgery however.

Antibiotic eye drops should be used for a few months after the operation and also anti-inflammatory agents to reduce swelling and reduce irritation. When the epithelium has healed, the bandage contact lens can be removed.

Bookmarks
Bookmark This |