Choosing Between Lasik Surgery and PRK / Laser Eye Surgery

With each year, more and more ophthalmic patients seek out ophthalmologists and laser eye centers to find permanent solutions to their refractive vision errors. While many of these patients have been using glasses and contact lenses for years, the hassle and expenses related to glasses and contacts often drives patients to lessen their dependence on these temporary solutions. Before patients come into a laser eye center, they have usually already decided that laser eye surgery is the right option for them. However, they are then faced with another question: Which one? With so many eye surgery options, patients often have trouble decided. The choice often comes down to Lasik surgery or PRK.

The majority of patients have heard of Lasik surgery before they even begin considering their own laser vision correction. Lasik, or laser assisted in situ keratomileusis, is currently the most popular laser eye surgery option in the United States and in the world. Since this technology was approved in the late 1990s, Lasik surgery has given millions of people worldwide 20/20 vision or better, and has lessened even more people’s dependence on glasses or contact lenses. Laser eye surgeons and ophthalmologists consider this procedure to be one of the safest and most effective procedures for the majority of their laser eye patients; this surgery has low risk, high yield results, and a very short recovery period. During the Lasik procedure, a small flap is cut in the protective layer above the cornea and lifting, allowing a cool beam laser to reshape the cornea and eliminate imperfections in the eye. After the flap is replaced, the patient has improved vision! The patient can experience their results as soon as their procedure is completed, and usually need only a single day to recover.

PRK, also called photorefractive keratectomy, is another common laser eye surgery that is used to correct refractive vision errors. PRK is a predecessor of Lasik, and has been performed throughout the world since the early 1980s. Though other options are now available, PRK remains an effective and sometimes necessary option for patients seeking to rid themselves of their glasses. The PRK procedure is very similar to Lasik, but has one distinct difference. At the beginning of the procedure, a laser is used to burn away the outer layer of the cornea called the epithelium. A cool beam laser is then used to reshape and refine the cornea. After the surgery is completed, a contact “bandage” is placed over the eye for protection while the epithelium regenerates. The recovery process may take a week or more, and the patient will have to wait out the recovery period to experience their vision improvement.

A patient’s decision to undergo Lasik surgery or PRK should depend on several factors. Most ophthalmologists will suggest that patients choose Lasik because of the quick recovery period that is associated with the procedure. However, patients who have very active lifestyles may consider PRK instead. Because PRK does not involve the creation of a corneal flap, there is little worry of the wound reopening later during high impact. This benefit makes PRK perfect of military personnel and athletes. The decision is ultimately in the hands of the ophthalmologist; laser eye surgeons will make an appropriate decision depending on a patient’s unique prescription, corneal depth, and medical history. Most patients, however, will have an option; both Lasik surgery and PRK can result in perfect vision, and patients can expect to leave their glasses behind!

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