PRK re-treatment: worth it? 13 years post first PRK.

Question

I had PRK in 2005 at 29yrs old. The past 2 years, I have had to wear glasses for nearsightedness. Prescription is at -1.50 on both eyes. I am now considering getting a free retreatment under a lifetime plan that was offered back then. Is it worth it at my age? Would I be a good candidate? Of course, there are requirements that I must meet in order to get the free "Enhancement". Since it's technically free, and doesn't lead to their profits, is their decision to retreat, something I can trust?

Jay Bansal, MD · Answer

Whether you qualify for PRK re-treatment depends on your corneal topographical maps, eye health, prescription stability, and remaining corneal thickness. If you are interested, you may go in for a consultation. Whether the procedure is worthwhile at this point depends on how much you want to be glasses free. Keep in mind however, that if you correct both eyes fully for seeing at distance, your vision up close may be compromised and you may need readers immediately after the procedure. You may want to consider monovision, where one eye is clear for seeing far and the other is clear for seeing near. If you go with the monovision route, you may only need to re-treat one eye.

PRK re-treatment: worth it? 13 years post first PRK.

Answers (1)