Should You Have Lasik or PRK?

25.06.2011 | Author: maik101 | Posted in Health Care
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Corrective lenses like glasses and contacts can be wonderful temporary solutions for those of us with imperfect eyesight. While these corrective lenses are great for helping us see what might normally just be a blur, we still often dream of a life without them. Each year, more and more people with vision imperfections flock to laser eye centers seeking the services of ophthalmologists and laser eye surgeons. Most have already given a lot of thought to laser eye surgery, but have never considered the multiple options until they receive their first consultation. Many patients have trouble deciding between PRK and Lasik surgery.
PRK, also known as photorefractive keratectomy, is a common laser eye surgery that is used to treat refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. PRK has been performed throughout the world since the early 1980s, and has helped many people achieve 20/20 vision and lessen their dependence on corrective lenses. This surgery remains a popular choice for laser eye surgery patients. During the procedure, a cool beam laser burns away the outer layer of the cornea, the epithelium. A second cool beam laser then reshapes the cornea to remove any imperfections that have been negatively impacting vision. After the surgery, protective contact “bandages” are put in place to protect the eyes while the epithelium regenerates. This process can take up to a week, and patients can experience their improved vision after a week or more of recovery.
Lasik surgery, or laser assisted in situ keratomileusis, is the newer generation of PRK. Today, Lasik is the most popular laser eye surgery in both the United States and the world, and millions of people have undergone this procedure. The technology for Lasik was approved in the late 1990s, and has since been used to give patients 20/20 vision or better. Laser eye surgeons consider the procedure to be one of the safest and most effective laser eye surgeries because of its low risks, high yield results, and swift recovery time. The Lasik procedure is very similar to PRK. During the surgery, a flap is made in the protective layer above the cornea before the cool beam laser reshapes the cornea. After the laser has finished refining the corneal imperfections, the flap is replaces. Because no part of the eye needs to regenerate, patients need only a day to recover from the surgery and can experience their improved vision as soon as the surgery is completed!
Though many people may assume that the difference in recovery time is a deciding factor, there are several other issues that might sway a patient toward PRK or Lasik. Many ophthalmologists will often suggest Lasik to the majority of patients because of its recovery time. However, many patients may find that PRK is a better fit for them. Patients with high impact lifestyles, including military personnel and athletes, may be more comfortable with PRK so that they never have to worry about a hard hit re-opening the corneal flap. Also, patients who have thin corneas, steep corneas, or who have had previous eye surgery may need to undergo PRK instead of Lasik surgery. Ultimately the decision will come down to what the ophthalmologist thinks is best. With either surgery, patients can expect to experience clear, perfect vision and leave their glasses behind!

Corrective lenses like glasses and contacts can be wonderful temporary solutions for those of us with imperfect eyesight. While these corrective lenses are great for helping us see what might normally just be a blur, we still often dream of a life without them. Each year, more and more people with vision imperfections flock to laser eye centers seeking the services of ophthalmologists and laser eye surgeons. Most have already given a lot of thought to laser eye surgery, but have never considered the multiple options until they receive their first consultation. Many patients have trouble deciding between PRK and Lasik surgery.
PRK, also known as photorefractive keratectomy, is a common laser eye surgery that is used to treat refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. PRK has been performed throughout the world since the early 1980s, and has helped many people achieve 20/20 vision and lessen their dependence on corrective lenses. This surgery remains a popular choice for laser eye surgery patients. During the procedure, a cool beam laser burns away the outer layer of the cornea, the epithelium. A second cool beam laser then reshapes the cornea to remove any imperfections that have been negatively impacting vision. After the surgery, protective contact “bandages” are put in place to protect the eyes while the epithelium regenerates. This process can take up to a week, and patients can experience their improved vision after a week or more of recovery.
Lasik surgery, or laser assisted in situ keratomileusis, is the newer generation of PRK. Today, Lasik is the most popular laser eye surgery in both the United States and the world, and millions of people have undergone this procedure. The technology for Lasik was approved in the late 1990s, and has since been used to give patients 20/20 vision or better. Laser eye surgeons consider the procedure to be one of the safest and most effective laser eye surgeries because of its low risks, high yield results, and swift recovery time. The Lasik procedure is very similar to PRK. During the surgery, a flap is made in the protective layer above the cornea before the cool beam laser reshapes the cornea. After the laser has finished refining the corneal imperfections, the flap is replaces. Because no part of the eye needs to regenerate, patients need only a day to recover from the surgery and can experience their improved vision as soon as the surgery is completed!
Though many people may assume that the difference in recovery time is a deciding factor, there are several other issues that might sway a patient toward PRK or Lasik. Many ophthalmologists will often suggest Lasik to the majority of patients because of its recovery time. However, many patients may find that PRK is a better fit for them. Patients with high impact lifestyles, including military personnel and athletes, may be more comfortable with PRK so that they never have to worry about a hard hit re-opening the corneal flap. Also, patients who have thin corneas, steep corneas, or who have had previous eye surgery may need to undergo PRK instead of Lasik surgery. Ultimately the decision will come down to what the ophthalmologist thinks is best. With either surgery, patients can expect to experience clear, perfect vision and leave their glasses behind!

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