What is the PRK procedure?

During the PRK surgery the doctor will remove the epithelial layer from the eye’s surface. On the exposed area the actual laser polishing is performed. Underneath it, from the surface of the cornea, the laser beam removes the cornea’s microscopical layer. After the laser work is done, contact lens is put into the eye. The new epithelial layer will grow to replace the removed layer during one week, after that the pain and grinding sensation disappear. The post-operative care and vision recovery are slow and the eye will be painful during about 2–3 days after the procedure. A risk to develop haze accompanies the PRK procedure, of which the eye will normally recover from during 3–6 months.

Risks that accompany the PRK procedure:

• Vision in the dark might be temporarily weakened during 3–12 months. A more long-term haze probability can be associated with 1–20% of patients.
• Eyes are more dry and moisurizing eye drops are recommended to take into use during 6 months after the surgery.
• The management of the recovery process is more complicated, in order to avoid the haze risk, it is necessary to use hormonal drops during a longer period of time.