Prk After Rk? I hate not being able to see distance, and I strain now for both reading and distance

Question

I had rk about 20 years ago. I did a lot of research and felt that PRK was a good option for my declining distance vision. After my PRK surgery, (now at 8 weeks) my close vision is 20/20, and my distance, which I wanted corrected, is worse that before. The Dr. said it is still healing and to be patient. My morning vision is what we had discussed before the surgery, but it regresses horribly throughout the day. I hate not being able to see distance, and I strain now for both reading and distance

Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA · Answer

i have performed more surface ablations after RK to fix consecutive hyperopia, which is what it sounds like you have, than any other surgeon in NYC. we just presented 200 similar cases recently

	i used to perform PRK for this problem, but now i only perform LASEK. scarring after PRK over RK is common, and the scars are in the old incisions, which can cause permanent nighttime starbursts

	since i switched from PRK to LASEK to perform this enhancement, with MMC, i have never had a single patient scar, and have made everyone surprisingly 20/20

	please don't go to a surgeon who has never done this before, or has only done a few. your case if complicated enough you should fly to another city to go to a surgeon for whom this is routine, as for 99% of surgeons it is NOT

	hope this helps, good luck

Michael K. Tracy, MD · Answer

PRK after RK is a complex issue.  The most important point is to make certain that your cornea is stable before performing the PRK.  It sounds as though your original RK may have left you hyperopic (far sighted), which is a common long term outcome after RK, and that you are now experiencing post-operative myopia (near sightedness) after the PRK.  It is normal for patients to be myopic after a hyperopic treatment and the recovery time after a hyperopic treatment can be several months to even a year before the final outcome is achieved, so give it time.

Jay Bansal, MD · Answer

It is fairly common for RK patients to have PRK surgery.  This would certainly be the recommended treatment over LASIK since the incisions in the cornea could create havoc with flap creation during LASIK.

	 

	Vision with PRK after having RK is very unpredictable however.  Healing is slower and the results are not as exact as an untouched cornea.  Make certain you communicate well with your surgeon.  The healing period might be prolonged and patience is certainly recommended.

	 

	I wish you luck.

Prk After Rk? I hate not being able to see distance, and I strain now for both reading and distance

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Prk After Rk? I hate not being able to see distance, and I strain now for both reading and distance

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Everything you need to know about PRK Laser Eye Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.