What Is PRK Eye Surgery - Refractive Surgery Information

PRK stands for photorefractive keratectomy. In other words, it's another form of refractive surgery. The PRK method is a modern improvement on the older RK (radial keratotomy) method. As with other leading corrective eye surgeries--like LASIK--PRK uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea and perfect vision. PRK is predominately used in treating cases of nearsightedness (myopia), though it is also used to correct combined vision problems like nearsightedness and astigmatism. Learn more about PRK surgery at our New England Eye Center.

How does PRK correct the eye?

Like other popular refractive surgeries, PRK corrects the eye by reshaping the cornea. More specifically, PRK uses a laser to correct abnormalities on the surface of the eye, effectively sculpting the cornea rather than cutting into it as some other procedures do. The key to this procedure is precision, and the excimer laser makes it possible.

How are LASIK and PRK different?

Apart from LASIK being more diverse in the conditions that it treats, the primary difference between LASIK and PRK is how the cornea is reshaped. Whereas LASIK eye surgery accesses the cornea by cutting a flap into the corneal tissue and then replacing it, PRK removes parts of the flawed top layer of epithelium entirely, and then the tissue grows back in the days following the surgery.

How effective is PRK?

The key to PRK's success in our Boston office is the effectiveness of patient screening. The more severe a patient's myopia is, the less likely they are to achieve ideal results through the use of PRK. In a significant majority of patients (approximately 70 percent) with a mild case of myopia, 20/20 vision can be attained through the use of the PRK method. Nearly 95 percent of PRK patients will attain 20/40 vision. That means that only approximately 5 percent of PRK patients fail to effectively resolve their nearsightedness with the procedure. Be sure that you go to an office that can offer you the newest and best procedure for your particular needs. Do your research in advance, and then narrow your search to offices that offer the most effective services.

Comfort

While research and good references are important, what's most important is your own gut feeling. If you're just not comfortable with the clinic or more specifically with your doctor, then continue the search until you find an office and a surgeon that you trust.