Eye Surgery and PRK Laser

Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) laser eye surgery has been existent for over 12 years and is considered to be quite a safe procedure. It is the forerunner of the Lasik procedure. There is no concrete evidence to suggest that PRK laser eye surgery harms the vision or eyes of a patient in the long run. The procedure is used less, unlike Laser and Lasik treatment.

About the Procedure:

If a patient has an unusually thin cornea or sometimes, a large pupil, a surgeon might recommend PRK laser eye surgery for the patient. Lasik and Laser treatment are considered complicated under these conditions.

Preparations:

The eye area of the patient is cleaned and the eyelid is held intact, using a metal ring. Anesthetic drops that are administered ensure that the eyes are numb. This prevents discomfort when the laser is used. In other laser eye treatments, the eye’s shape is reformed, beneath the surface of cornea. But in PRK procedure, the cornea is reshaped by removing thin layer of cells, with a laser examiner, from the eye’s surface. The epithelium tends to naturally grow back and side effects are less.

Downside:

Unlike newer and advanced laser eye surgeries, PRK laser eye surgery needs a longer recovery time. The patients, after the surgical procedure, experience greater discomfort and greater pain. The vision can be blurred and hazy in the patients of PRK, for nearly two months. The complete result of the surgery is apparent only after a few months.

Risks Involved:

Like all other surgeries, this surgery has a few risks involved. They are:

• Dry eyes:

This is a common side effect and eye drops are used for lubricating the eyes and staying away from infections.

• Poorer night vision:

The daytime vision of a patient will improve after PRK and this will help the patients to carry out their daily routine, without the help of contact lenses and glasses. Night vision sometimes will be poorer than that of the vision that existed before surgery. This ensues in the patients- seeing halo or glare around the lights. Driving in night is not advised for a few months and glasses become necessary for driving during the night time.

Conclusion:

Results have proven that more than 80% of people who choose this procedure do not use corrective lenses or glasses. This is exciting news for people with defective eyesight that needs to be rectified. PRK surgery has many advantages and is reputed as a safe procedure with an impressive success rate.