What is PRK? Is It Painful?

Think of PRK as 'Flap-less LASIK'. Both procedures are identical when it comes to correcting your eyeglass prescription, the only difference is that with LASIK a corneal flap is cut first (with a different machine) and in PRK the surface corneal epithelial cells (thin outer covering of the cornea) are removed first. PRK is often referred to as Surface Ablation because the laser treatment is performed closer to the corneal surface whereas in LASIK, because a flap is cut first ,... more

PRK,  an abbreviation for Photorefractive Keratectomy, is an all laser eye procedure that is an alternative to LASIK to correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness, (hyperopia), and astigmatism. PRK is an excellent alternative for individuals who are not candidates for LASIK, and many patients see even better than they did with glasses or contact lenses. The procedure take only about 5 minutes an eye to perform, but healing time is a bit longer than LASIK. The results are just... more

It may be hard to believe these days, when everything is "LASIK this" and "LASIK that," but PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) used to be the most common refractive surgery procedure. Both are grouped under the umbrella "laser eye surgery," but each is a little different when it comes to advantages and disadvantages. LASIK patients have less discomfort and obtain good vision more quickly (with PRK improvement is gradual and over a few days or even... more

PRK is the process of lasering the front of the eye after removing the protective skin or epithelium that covers the eye and has many nerve endings.  It is not the PRK itself that is painful, but the denuded surface which is a large corneal abrasion which must heal. Many things can be done to minimize discomfort such as topical medications (drops), contact lenses, systemic analgesics (pain pills) and cool compresses.  Usually the pain is relatively short in duration lasting... more

The term PRK stands for photorefractive keratectomy and is an alternate method of performing laser vision correction. It is also the way my nearsightedness and astigmatism were corrected in 1994. PRK is performed on the surface of the cornea, rather than underneath a corneal flap(LASIK). As a result, the visual recovery is somewhat slower(measured in days to weeks) as compared to LASIK(hours to days). There is some increased postoperative discomfort with PRK because the corneal surface... more

PRK stands for Photo-Refractive Keratectomy, and is actually a very effective treatment for people with refractive errors--myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness, and astigmatism.  In the simplest of explanations, this treatment involves the use of the excimer laser to remove corneal tissue and reshape the surface of the eye, similar to LASIK.  However, this differs from LASIK in that there is no corneal tissue flap created.  Rather, in PRK the... more