What is PRK Vision Correction?
Photorefractive keratectomy, also known as PRK, is a type of eye surgery used to correct a wide variety of vision limitations. Individuals suffering from nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), or astigmatism may see a significant improvement in their vision after having this type of eye surgery.
As one of the first types of laser eye surgery developed, it has been in use much longer than the more popular LASIK procedure, offering several key benefits.
What Happens During the PRK Eye Surgery Procedure?
PRK eye surgery involves reshaping the cornea using a laser. The reshaping process helps properly focus light entering the eye onto the retina, which improves and clarifies your vision.
When you undergo PRK vision correction in Manhattan & Brooklyn at New York Laser Vision, your eye doctor will remove and discard the thin, outer layer of the cornea, before working to correct its shape. The outer layer, called the epithelium, grows back on its own over time.
What Can I Expect During PRK Eye Surgery?
Before the procedure, your eye surgeon will carefully examine your eyes to ensure you are healthy enough for surgery and will benefit from it. You will undergo a process called corneal mapping, to measure the contours of your, which will allow the surgeon to create a plan to follow during the procedure.
PRK eye surgery is generally an outpatient procedure. In most cases, it takes less than 20 minutes to complete. You are not put to sleep for this procedure, but you will be sedated and comfortable, with a numbing agent used to ensure that you feel no pain. We’ll ask you to look at a specific light for a few minutes while we look at your eyes under a microscope. You’ll notice the surgeon’s use of the laser, but you will not feel it. The laser directs pulses of light toward your eye; each pulse changes the shape of your cornea by removing a very small amount of tissue. Your surgeon is completely in control of the process.
What Can I Expect During My Recovery from PRK Eye Surgery?
We’ll have you relax in our office for a bit before you leave, and will provide you with anti-inflammatory medications and pain medications as needed. Someone else will need to drive you home, where you can expect to recover for a few days; most people feel back to normal within a couple of weeks. It can take some time for your vision to be completely restored and improved.
If you are considering PRK eye surgery in Manhattan or Brooklyn, the first step is to come in for a consultation. We’ll discuss the procedure, how you might benefit from it, and what we believe the likely outcome would be for you. Many people find PRK eye surgery to be ideal for improving their vision.