PRK
Are you interested in enhancing your vision without the hassle of glasses and contacts? Have you been told you are not a good candidate for vision correction procedures like LASIK? You may be a candidate for PRK.
At Meriam Park Laser Center, our dedicated team of eye doctors has the experience to perform PRK with excellent results, helping patients achieve the visual clarity they’ve always wanted.
What is PRK?
PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, is a vision correction procedure that treats vision problems caused by refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Refractive errors typically occur when the cornea is misshapen or your eye is too short or too long. This can affect the way light bends when it enters the eye.
If the light does not focus accurately on the retina, it causes blurry vision. PRK can correct this by reshaping the cornea to allow light to focus directly on the retina, resulting in clearer vision.
How Is PRK Different from LASIK?
PRK and LASIK are both vision correction procedures that use lasers to reshape the cornea and correct refractive errors. The main difference between them is the process in which the cornea is reshaped.
With LASIK, a small flap is made on the surface of the cornea, allowing your LASIK surgeon to reshape it. PRK does not create a flap; instead, your surgeon will remove the epithelium or outer layer of the cornea and then reshape the cornea.
Because PRK does not require a corneal flap, patients who may not have been good candidates for LASIK due to having thin corneas or severe dry eye often opt for PRK. Both procedures can give you the same level of clarity and visual freedom from glasses and contacts.
Recovery after PRK is also longer than recovery after LASIK, as the epithelium needs enough time to grow back. It can take several weeks to a month to achieve your best vision after the procedure.
Who is a Good Candidate for PRK?
As stated above, patients with severe dry eye or thin corneas who do not qualify for LASIK often make good candidates for PRK. Athletes also make good candidates due to the potential for injuries to dislodge the corneal flap created during LASIK.
In general, you must meet the following requirements to be considered a good candidate for PRK:
- You are 18 years or older
- Your prescription has been stable for at least one year
- You have healthy corneas
- You are in good overall health
- You don’t have autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or Sjogren’s syndrome that could impact your recovery after the procedure
- You don’t have advanced cataracts or advanced glaucoma
- You don’t have a history of eye infections
- You are not pregnant or nursing
- You don’t have severe corneal scarring
- You don’t have diabetes that is not under control
To determine whether you are a good candidate for PRK, your eye doctor at Meriam Park Laser Center will perform a comprehensive exam to assess the health of your eyes and help you decide whether PRK is the right vision correction procedure for you.
What Can I Expect During PRK?
On the day of your PRK procedure, you should arrange for someone to drive you and pick you up. Your eye doctor will likely clear you to drive at your follow-up appointment.
Your eye surgeon will begin by numbing your eyes with eye drops and placing an eyelid holder to keep you from blinking. Once your eyes are ready, they will carefully remove the epithelium.
Your eye surgeon will then have you look at a target light to keep your eyes in place, and they will begin reshaping your cornea using a laser. The laser will be programmed with measurements specific to your eye to ensure you get the best results for your vision.
Once they have completed the procedure, which will take about 15 minutes, your eye surgeon will apply a contact lens over your eye to act as a bandage while you heal.
Recovery After PRK
After the procedure, you will need to have someone drive you home. It is best to rest and relax to give yourself time to heal.
Avoid any strenuous activity, as it could slow the healing process. You may experience some mild eye pain, grittiness, or itchiness. It is important not to rub your eyes as they are still healing.
Your eye doctor will provide you with special eye drops that help prevent infection and reduce inflammation. Make sure you use them according to your eye doctor’s instructions.
They will also give you instructions regarding sun protection. You may have to wear sunglasses outside to protect your eyes from UV exposure while you recover.
At your follow-up appointments, your eye doctor will check how your eyes are healing and give directions on when you can return to things like work, driving, and strenuous activities.
Although patients typically notice improvements in vision after 3-5 days, it will likely take a month before your vision reaches peak clarity. After that, you can enjoy everything you love with complete visual freedom.
You won’t have to rely on visual aids to see clearly, and many patients even experience higher-definition vision than they ever had with glasses or contacts.
Do you want to learn more about how PRK could help you get the clear vision you’ve always wanted? Schedule an appointment at Meriam Park Laser Center in Chico, CA, today!
