Are you thinking about having PRK? Laser eye surgery is a significant investment in your vision. Asking the right questions before committing to the procedure is crucial so you know what to expect and feel confident about your decision.
Keep reading to learn more about the 7 questions to ask before getting PRK!
Photorefractive keratectomy or PRK is a refractive surgery that uses a laser to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism, reducing or removing the need for glasses or contacts. Here are some questions to ask before having the procedure.
To be a PRK candidate, you should meet certain requirements, including:
Being at least 18 years old
Having good overall health
A refractive error within the treatable range for PRK
A prescription that should not have changed for at least a year
Not being pregnant or breastfeeding
Healthy eyes free from eye conditions such as cataracts, keratoconus, or glaucoma
PRK can also be a better option if you can't have LASIK, a popular refractive surgery, due to thin corneas or dry eyes. Additionally, your surgeon may recommend PRK if you don't qualify for LASIK because you play high intensity contact sports and/or boxing/MMA.
The same applies to some professions, such as police service, firefighting, and military service. Unlike PRK, where the outermost layer is completely removed, LASIK involves creating a flap in the outer layer.
Although rare, post-procedure, the flap can become dislodged and cause complications early in the healing process if you are an athlete involved in high intensity contact sports, or in a profession that involves trauma to the head.
The best way to determine if you’re a PRK candidate is to have a complete assessment of your vision and eyes by your surgeon. During the evaluation, your surgeon will measure your cornea and refractive error, check the overall health of your eyes, and assess other factors to determine if you’re a suitable candidate
Proper preparation will help ensure your PRK surgery goes smoothly and safely. Here's how to get ready:
Medical preparation: Inform your ophthalmologist about all medications you're currently taking, as some can increase certain risks. Medications to specifically mention include antihistamines (increased risk of dryness), isotretinoin A.K.A Accutane (increased risk of dryness), oral steroids (high eye pressure and delayed healing), immunosuppressants (higher infection risk and delayed healing).
Transportation and time off: Since your vision will be blurry immediately after surgery, arrange for a trusted friend or family member to drive you home. You'll also need several days to rest and recover, so plan to take time off work accordingly.
Home preparation: Set up a comfortable recovery space at home with all your essentials within easy reach. This will help you rest without having to move around much during your initial healing period. Additionally, prep easy to prepare foods, turn on your phone’s accessibility features such as voice assistant, text to speech, and font size, and use sunglasses within your home as necessary to remain comfortable. It may also be helpful to darken your home and limit screentime.
Day of surgery: Follow any specific instructions about when to stop eating and drinking before your procedure. On surgery day, avoid wearing perfume, makeup, scented lotions, or creams, as these can increase irritation and infection risk.
Taking these steps will help ensure you're fully prepared for a successful PRK experience.
PRK is an outpatient procedure that typically takes about 15 minutes. Here's what happens during your treatment:
You'll remain awake throughout the procedure, but anesthetic drops will completely numb your eye so you won't feel any discomfort or pain. Your surgeon will typically offer a mild sedative to help you relax.
Your surgeon will begin by placing an eyelid holder to keep your eye open and prevent blinking. Next, they'll carefully remove the epithelium, which is the outermost layer of your cornea, using either a laser or alcohol solution. You may feel slight pressure during this step, but it won't be painful.
Once the epithelium is removed, your surgeon will use a precisely programmed laser to reshape your cornea based on your specific eye measurements. This corrects your refractive error.
Finally, your surgeon will place a protective bandage contact lens over your eye. This stays in place while your epithelium naturally regenerates over the following days.
Before being discharged, your PRK surgeon will prescribe eye drops and provide detailed post-operative care instructions. Follow all instructions, including attending scheduled follow-up appointments, to ensure a smooth recovery.
The epithelium takes 3 to 5 days to regrow. During this period, your vision may be blurry.
Plan to rest or take a nap once you get home to support your recovery.
Apply your eye drops exactly as prescribed. This is crucial during the post-PRK healing process.
You will typically experience some eye pain or discomfort for 1-2 days after your procedure. Over-the-counter medications can help manage the pain but your surgeon will typically prescribe stronger pain medications to help with optimal comfort.
You’ll need to wear sunglasses outdoors for as long as your surgeon recommends, typically 6 months. Excessive sun exposure without sunglasses may cause corneal scarring and some regression of your prescription in certain individuals.
Within 7 days, you’ll return to your eye doctor’s office to have the contact lens bandage removed. Patients often notice an improvement in their vision once it’s taken out. At this point vision is typically legal to drive and functional, although still not perfect.
While PRK recovery time varies from person to person, many people usually resume work after 5 days. Some individuals that drive for a living or operate heavy machinery may require an additional week of recovery.
Avoiding certain activities until your ophthalmologist says it's safe can ensure a smoother recovery. In general, some of the don’ts after PRK include:
Driving at night for the first week
Excessively rub or touch your eyes for one week
Expose your eyes to smoke or dust for one week
Swim for two-four weeks
Engage in strenuous activities for one- four weeks
Apply creams, makeup, or other products around your eyes for one to four weeks
PRK can considerably reduce or even eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses. After the procedure, you may no longer need glasses or contacts to see, or you may only require them for a few specific activities.
PRK results are permanent. The changes made to your cornea to correct your refractive error and improve your vision last until aging-related changes occur.
You can look forward to enjoying a brighter, clearer, and more vivid world after your surgery. That said, it’s important to understand that over time, the natural lens of your eye will still undergo aging-related changes such as presbyopia and cataracts, which ultimately affects the clarity of everyone’s vision. Typically, presbyopia (near vision issues) starts to occur in our mid-late forties and continue until age-related cataracts (a clouding of the natural internal lens) develops by the age of 65-70. After cataracts naturally occur the next step in vision correction is to undergo cataract surgery. Everyone if they are fortunate enough to have enough birthdays will eventually benefit from cataract surgery and usually get out of glasses and contacts again!
At Providence Eye & Laser Specialists, we encourage our patients to ask questions during PRK consultations. Our top-rated surgeon is committed to answering all your questions and supporting you every step of the way in your journey to clear, unaided vision.
Are you ready to see clearly with PRK? Schedule your appointment at Providence Eye & Laser Specialists in Charlotte, NC, today to find out if the procedure is right for you.
