Understanding PRK Laser Eye Surgery

May 2, 2017

PRK laser eye surgery allows for touch-free, blade-free vision correction without the need to cut the cornea flap. PRK surgery was first introduced as an alternative type of laser surface ablation designed for those individuals who are not suitable candidates for LASIK. PRK is a safer surgery that is suitable for virtually everyone.

What is PRK Surgery?

PRK laser eye surgery is a second option for people with thin corneas or for those individuals who have experienced complications with LASIK surgery or Epi-LASIK. Candidates with a thin cornea often get rejected for LASIK. Patients who have suffered scars due to problems with LASIK or Epi-LASIK can regain clear vision with PRK surgery.

After experiencing complications, you cannot undergo Epi-LASIK again on the same eye, retreatment is not advised. In many cases, PRK is the recommended treatment course to enhance vision after a bad experience with LASIK.

PRK Laser Eye Surgery May be the Better Treatment for High Myopia

If your sight impairment is due to high myopia, more of your cornea will be utilized in the correction. With PRK the cornea flap does not need to be surgically extracted. Laser ablation starts on the cornea surface, leaving more of it intact post-surgery.

With high shortsightedness, the cornea is strengthened with stabilizing accelerated crosslinking for better results. This helps uphold the structural integrity and shape of the cornea. This process can also help ward off a condition called corneal ectasia.

PRK Laser Eye Surgery

With current advances in laser eye surgery technology, it is now possible to perform PRK in a no-touch, one-step process performed with a specialized laser. First, the epithelial cells are removed from the surface and then the cornea is remodelled. This method allows refractive correction to be carried out with minimal manipulation in a short span of time in a less invasive way.