PRK SURGERY

PRK Surgery (photorefractive keratectomy) is the second most common laser eye procedure used to treat and correct vision problems including farsightedness (hyperopia), nearsightedness (myopia), and astigmatism.

PRK is the predecessor to the popular LASIK procedure and is still commonly performed. While recovery from PRK surgery takes longer than recovery from LASIK eye surgery, for some patients (those with thin corneas, for example) it does offer certain advantages over LASIK.

The end results of PRK surgery are comparable to LASIK Surgery results, but initial PRK recovery is slower because a new epithelial layer takes time to grow back to cover the surface of the eye. Vision improvement with PRK also takes place gradually, so the final outcome can take several weeks.

The main benefit with PRK is the entire thickness of the underlying stroma is available for treatment, as the surgery does not create a corneal flap (contains epithelial and stromal layers). This is of particular benefit when the cornea is too thin for LASIK

Pros vs LASIK:
* No risk of complications related to creating a corneal flap
* Less depth of laser treatment compared to LASIK
* Reduced risk of compromised corneal thickness
* Suitable if the cornea is too thin for LASIK

Cons vs LASIK:
* Higher risk of post-surgery haze, inflammation and infection
* Patients experience more discomfort during recovery than LASIK patients
* Slower recovery times compared to LASIK
* End results take longer to stabilize
* Follow-up enhancements with LASIK are easier if needed