How do I prepare for PRK?

Three days before surgery: Use Zymar antibiotic drops, 1 drop in the eye(s) to be treated 4 times a day for 3 days prior to surgery. The easiest schedule for most people to remember is to do one drop at breakfast, one at lunch, one at dinner, and one at bedtime.

What should I do the night before PRK?

How many days the rest is required after PRK surgery?

The epithelium takes three or four days to heal. During this time you will experience discomfort and very blurry vision after PRK. By four or five days after surgery your vision begins to clear up, although it may takes several weeks to a month to become excellent.

What disqualifies from PRK?

Patients with diseases like keratoconus or glaucoma will not be candidates for PRK. If you have scarring from eye injuries or botched eye surgeries you also are likely to not be a candidate. Eye issues are likely to make you unable to undergo any vision procedures.

What is the fastest way to recover from PRK?

PRK

Can I look at my phone after PRK?

It may last up to 4 days with PRK. When after surgery can I use my computer, tablet, and cell phone? It will not harm your eyes or their recovery from surgery if you try to use your eyes immediately. However, most patients feel more comfortable closing their eyes for the first few hours after surgery.

How uncomfortable is PRK?

According to Adler, the surgery itself is painless because of the numbing eye drops, but once the effect of the drops wears off, you may start to feel some discomfort. This sometimes feels like a scratch on the eye and lasts for about four days after the surgery.

How often do people go blind from PRK?

It's estimated that the chances of going blind as a result of laser eye surgery are around 1 in 5 million.

What makes a good PRK candidate?

Ideal candidates for PRK are people who experience refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) and would like to achieve great vision without the reliance on corrective lenses. They should be in good health overall and understand the risks and benefits of PRK.

How often does PRK go wrong?

The percentage of patients that need retreatment after PRK myopic correction with an excimer laser is 6.8% (range from 3.8% to 20.8%). Various authors have followed-up patients after PRK treatment, to evaluate its efficacy.

How long after PRK can I shower?

You can shower or wash your hair the day after surgery. Keep water, soap, shampoo, hair spray, and shaving lotion out of your eye, especially for the first week. Do not rub or put pressure on your eye for at least 1 week. For 1 week, do not wear eye makeup.

How soon after PRK can I drive?

Most patients are able to see well enough to drive 6 – 7 days after their procedure, with the doctor's approval. ❖ It is not unusual to feel some discomfort following PRK. If you experience discomfort, please use the Celluvisc drops provided in your “post-operative care kit”. You may use these drops as often as needed.

How long wear artificial tears after PRK?

Tears: Use preservative-free (PF) artificial tears at least 6 times a day. You may use them more frequently. We recommend Refresh, Systane, of Genteal tears. After 2 weeks you can switch from the preservative free to the regularly bottled tears.

What should I eat after PRK?

Some great options include chicken, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts. Most fish also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acid, which is thought to improve dry eyes. Vitamins: Consuming the right vitamins can help with recovery.

How should I sleep after PRK?

How long do I have to sleep with goggles after PRK?

But just how long do patients have to wear protective shields after LASIK or PRK? For LASIK patients, our Washington, DC team recommends wearing them for one week – all night as you sleep as well as during naps.

What prescription is too high for PRK?

Degree of Refractive Error

The best candidates for PRK have an eyeglass prescription that isn't extreme. This means, if you are nearsighted, you may have myopia of up to –8.00 diopters. If you are farsighted, your hyperopia may be up to +3.00 diopters. Your level of astigmatism may be as high as +4.00 diopters.

Why do PRK instead of LASIK?

Overall, PRK is considered to be safer and more effective in the long term because it doesn't leave a flap in your cornea. The flap left behind by LASIK can be subject to greater damage or complications if your eye is injured.

Is PRK good for astigmatism?

Before Lasik, PRK was the most common refractive surgery procedure. PRK also reshapes the cornea through the use of the excimer laser and fixes - nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. PRK is very safe and stable procedure; the surgery is FDA approved, and is a great option for qualified patients.

How blurry is vision after PRK?

Your vision will be blurry for several days following the procedure, but your eyesight should improve as the days and weeks pass. Most patients experience optimal visual acuity between 1 – 3 months after having PRK laser eye surgery.

Is smile better than PRK?

Kling. LASIK involves cutting a flap in the anterior cornea, the strongest part of the cornea. Therefore, it is no surprise that we found post-SMILE human corneas to be 47% stronger than post-LASIK human corneas. But we also know that post-PRK corneas are stronger than post-LASIK corneas.

Is PRK safer than LASIK?

LASIK and PRK are equally safe, and both work well. Around 9 out of every 10 people who have one of these procedures have 20/20 or better vision afterward without the need for glasses or contact lenses. If you're active, you might prefer LASIK because you'll have clear vision faster.

How long does PRK surgery take?

The surgery usually takes about 10 minutes, at most -- and that's for both eyes. They'll carefully remove an area of surface epithelium, or “skin,” to get to the top layer of your eye. Then the doctor will use a laser to reshape it.

What helps pain after PRK surgery?

For the best control of postoperative PRK pain, give the patient an oral analgesic (such as Tylenol with Codeine #3, 800 mg of ibuprofen or an oxycodone/acetaminophen combination such as Percocet) along with diazepam or a muscle relaxant, just before surgery.

How long does it take to get 20/20 vision after PRK?

PRK can accurately correct nearsightedness. Approximately 90% of PRK patients have 20/20 vision without glasses or contact lenses one year after the surgery.