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PRK Instead Of LASIK For Thick Cornea? What Is The Healing Time?

asked 9 months ago by deeeee in phoenix, AZ
Latest answer by Christopher Coad, MD
Question viewed 551 times
Tags: comparison, cornea, healing, thickness

my thickness for both eyes corneas are 470 and 472 and i have a little congenital cataracts, the doctor recommended PKR instead of Lasik. Im a good candidate and she also said since my cornea was so thin they wont be able to do enhancements and my eyes could revert back to what it is now in 5 or 10 years. is this true and do you think it is safe to go ahead with the procedure. also on average about how long is healing. If i have a friday surgery, can i go back to school on monday or tuesday?

8 answers to PRK Instead Of LASIK For Thick Cornea? What Is The Healing Time?

+1

Prk vs Lasik for thin corneas

There are more factors than corneal thickness to consider. Other factors include age, remaining corneal tissue, prescription and corneal topography (mapping). Most LASIK patients can return to work in 1-2 days. PRK patients take longer to heal.
Christopher Coad, MD

New York Ophthalmologist

www.lasikdoctornyc.com

+1

PRK on thin corneas

PRK would be about the only refractive procedure I would consider on a patient with thin corneas like yours. Having said that, your surgeon needs to be careful your cornea is not abnormal. Before I considered PRK, I would have a Pentacam scan and have the predictive software programs run to see if you fall into a "normal" category for refractive surgery. And, the decision will also depend upon the amount of your refractive error. In the past, before we had... more
Stuart Lewis, MD

Denver Ophthalmologist
+1

Refractive surgery for those with thin corneas.

Most commony those with thinner corneas are encouraged to have PRK instead of LASIK. If there is more going on such as older age with difficulties with reading or early cataracts, an intraocular procedure may be a better option than working on the cornea. One option may be to remove the lens of the eye and replace it with a lens implant to compensate for the refractive error. This is a particularly good idea for someone with any sign of cataracts.
Mark Golden, MD

Chicago Ophthalmologist
+1

PRK vs LASIK

I have been performing both Lasik and PRK for over 18 years and I believe I have done a pretty equal number of each(maybe 30,000 PRK and 50,000 Lasik). It is important to know that the long term results of both PRK and Lasik are the same. PRK entails removing the very outer layer of the cornea, then the laser reshaping of the cornea is done and a bandage contact lens is placed in the eye for about 3-4 days while the surface reheals. Lasik involves lifting up the very outer surface of the... more
Anthony J. Kameen, MD

Baltimore Ophthalmologist

www.kameen.com

+1

PRK vs LASIK

1. We do not know your level of myopia. If you have a low amount of myopia - you can have PRK and later on return for an enhancement. However - if you are very, very near-sighted - then it is possible the doctor could be right and you would be treated only once. There is no way to answer this part of your question without more information 2. Patients with thin corneas who are otherwise normal CAN have LASIK. All of the peer-reviewed articles on LASIK... more
William Trattler, MD

Miami Ophthalmologist
+1

Prk lasik lasek for thin corneas

You should NOT get LASIK or any other incisional sugery like IntraLase if you have thin cornea. the ONLY safe procedure for you would be a SURFACE ABLATION. i don't know why any surgeon in 2011 would perform a PRK. i did my last PRK in 1999. the modern form of surface ablation is LASEK or epiLASEK which are ADVANCED surface ablations. this means they are more advanced than the old way of lasering the surface, which is PRK. PRK is very painful, the... more
Emil Chynn, MD

New York Ophthalmologist

www.ParkAvenueLasek.com

+1

PRK for Thin Cornea

PRK, known as photorefractive keratectomy, is a laser vision correction procedure which is used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Laser vision correction thins the cornea more which is why an enhancement may not be possible. Other procedures are available to reduce your prescription such as refractive lens replacement and/or implantable collamer lens. The best procedure for your eyes should be determined. PRK is more uncomfortable than LASIK... more
Sandy Feldman, MD

San Diego Ophthalmologist
+1

PRK Instead Of LASIK For Thick Cornea? What Is The Healing Time?

Hello, Generally, with a thinner cornea, PRK would be recommended over LASIK. The healing and recovery time is a little longer compared to LASIK. You may feel some discomfort in the eyes for a few days and your vision may take a few days to be sharp. As far as enhancements that all depends on your prescription. If you have a high prescription your chances of being a candidate for an enhancement would be lower. However, with the current technology available... more
Robert T. Lin, MD

Los Angeles Ophthalmologist

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