Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
While LASIK laser vision surgery is often the most appropriate choice to improve ones vision, Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
may be the best alternative for individuals
whose eye orbits are too deep or whose cornea is too flat, steep or thin. This equates to about 15% of patients that come in for such an evaluation.
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) is a type of laser eye surgery that is effective in correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. In the early 1980's, before LASIK was developed, PRK was the first eye surgery utilizing a laser to correct vision.
Much like LASIK, PRK uses the excimer laser to precisely remove tiny amounts of tissue from the surface of the cornea in order to reshape it. Rather than under a flap as in LASIK, PRK reshapes the outside surface of the cornea. PRK starts at Bowman's membrane, removes the epithelium cells, the thin layer of cells on the surface of the cornea, and continues as necessary into the stroma, where the majority of the visual correction takes place. At a slightly slower pace than LASIK, the cool beam of the excimer laser precisely reshapes the cornea to its desired shape. PRK eye surgery generally requires around twenty minutes, compared to about five minutes per eye during a LASIK procedure.
After PRK eye surgery,a soft contact lens may be placed on the cornea to protect the eye and reduce discomfort while healing. Until the contact lens is removed, your vision will be blurred.
PRK Results
LASIK and PRK are very similar. PRK however, has a slightly longer recovery period, usually taking a week or so before vision reaches optimal acuity. Time off from work is two to four days. During this healing period the patient continues to wear the soft contact lens. The contact lens acts like a Band-Aid to cover the cornea and to minimize discomfort.
You will be able to go home afterwards, but you will need to arrange for someone to drive you and bring you back the next day for your exam. You may resume driving when Dr. Cutarelli has given you the go ahead.
For the first few days, you may experience discomfort, ranging from scratchiness, to definite pain. You will need to apply medicated and lubricating eye drops to assist the healing process. Your vision may be blurry or may fluctuate between being clear and being blurry. The blurriness may go away within a short time or may remain for a number of months. In some cases, a patient's vision improves immediately afterwards, but later becomes blurry. These conditions affect various patients differently. In general, it takes a few weeks for your vision to stabilize. Functional vision typically recovers shortly thereafter. Several weeks or months may be required to attain final visual results.
PRK eye surgery will not prevent presbyopia, and may actually reveal a need for reading glasses, particularly for patients over forty years of age.
