My PRK Experience: Feb 2010

Feb 26, 2010

I decided to come out of blogging silence to talk about my PRK experience with Dr. Scott Hyver.

Many people don't know about the difference between PRK and LASIK, so my comments about being blind and disoriented seem to be scaring people away.

The major difference between LASIK and PRK is the beginning of the treatment. LASIK creates a flap (usually by laser) which is then folded back and your eye is treated via more lasers. when the lasers have done their work the flap is folded back and whammo your surgery is complete. Vision after the surgery is 20/20 or better. The one major drawback to this procedure is that in very rare cases people have had their flap not heal fully and the flap actually pops off or becomes dislodged.

PRK clears away the epithelium layer of the eye and then uses the same lasers to complete the vision enhancement. The downside is that since your epithelium is cleared away you must naturally heal, this takes months rather than the days/ hours normal LASIK takes.

The upside is that since there is no flap, you can have vision correcting surgery again, and this method is approved by the U.S. military. (if i ever wanted to take up fighter pilot training!)

From here on out I will be describing my PRK treatment and experience