Viso Lasik Medspas Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)

What is PRK?

Yet another option that falls under the category of “vision correction surgery”, PRK was, at one time, the most common vision correction procedure performed. While LASIK patients experience less discomfort and achieve a significant improvement in vision as soon as the very next day after treatment, PRK patients will notice their vision improving gradually over time. Typically, doctors will recommend PRK for patients with thin corneas, or larger pupils.

Approved by the FDA and available in the United States since 1995, PRK differs from other types of LASIK procedures in that it does not involve the creation of a corneal flap; instead, PRK involves the precise removal of very small bits of tissue from the surface of the cornea, which in turn reshapes it. This process of the removal of tissue, called ablation, is performed with an excimer laser, which emits a cool, ultraviolet light beam.

What to Expect with PRK

As with most vision correction procedures, which are relatively ambulatory and require very little downtime, PRK is particularly quick, but does require patients to “take it easy” for a few days. Most PRK treatments take less than a minute, and are preceded by a topographical mapping of the cornea by way of a special machine that takes a picture of your eye. Then, after an oral numbing solution in the form of drops is placed in the eye, the doctor will adjust the excimer laser to match an individual’s eye prescription.

The procedure itself is pain free, with most patients reporting a mild scratchiness afterward that is alleviated with over the counter medicine, or a mild pain reliever prescribed by your doctor.

Would you like to learn more about how Viso Lasik Medspas can help you improve your vision through PRK? Contact us today for your more information and to schedule your free vision correction evaluation.