Is PRK Eye Surgery Right for You?

PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, is a type of laser surgery used to correct moderate near sightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Like other laser eye surgeries, your vision is corrected by reshaping the cornea of the eye. The cornea is the clear, front part of your eyeball. Light travels through the cornea and is focused on the retina in the back of your eye. If the cornea is misshapen, the light does not focus on the retina, and your vision is impaired.

In PRK eye surgery, the eye surgeon uses a cool, pulsating laser beam on the surface of the cornea. In Lasik eye surgery, a flap is cut in the cornea, and the laser beam is directed under the cornea.

PRK is very accurate in correcting nearsightedness. About 80% of patients have 20/20 vision without glasses one year after surgery. PRK typically costs about the same as Lasik eye surgery. The recovery time to best corrected vision is longer with PRK than it is with Lasik eye surgery. The typical PRK patient has about 80% of their best vision after a month, and 95% to 100% after 3 months. Lasik corrects vision much faster than that.

There will be some discomfort for the first 24 to 48 hours after PRK eye surgery, and frequently patients experience light sensitivity as well.

PRK is performed under local anesthesia, and takes about 10 minutes for both eyes. Generally, a bandage contact lens is applied immediately after the surgery. This contact lens is worn for three to four days to allow the surface of the eye to heal. You will visit your surgeon the day after surgery, and probably several times over the next six months. Once the surface of the eye has healed, the bandage contact lens will be removed.

Your vision might fluctuate for the first few weeks following surgery. Your eyes will be dry, even if they don't feel like it. Your physician will prescribe eye drops to prevent infection and keep your eyes moist.

Your vision will gradually improve over time. After two to three weeks, you will see well enough to drive a car. Your best vision, however, will not be reached until 6 weeks, to 6 months after the surgery.

PRK has become less common recently. More eye surgeons prefer Lasik procedures because healing time is faster, and the results are more predictable. The final decision on what type of eye surgery to have is up to you. Be sure to know all the facts, and ask lots of questions.

Gerri Stone publishes information and resources about Laser Eye Surgery