For more than 20 years, we have been providing patients seeking clean vision with LASIK and PRK vision correction procedures. Additionally, we have discovered throughout the years that patients frequently require assistance in comprehending the difference between Lasik and PRK eye operations.
We wanted you to understand the differences and similarities between them.
Let us talk about the key distinctions between PRK and Lasik laser surgery!
In what ways are PRK and LASIK comparable?
The two most common laser-assisted procedures to address vision focusing deficits, or refractive defects, are PRK (photo-refractive keratectomy, FDA-approved 1995) and LASIK (laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis, FDA-approved 1999).
Both procedures have very high success rates, alter the cornea’s shape, and can be used to treat the following vision issues:
- Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the inability to see far-off objects well.
- Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is the inability to view up close objects clearly.
- An unevenly shaped eye that causes hazy vision is called astigmatism.
- Presbyopia is the age-related incapacity to read fine print.
The cornea, which is the transparent “windshield” covering the seeing section of the eye and accounts for two-thirds of its focusing power, is reshaped in both laser eye procedures. The way the two methods reach your corneal tissue to correct your vision is different.
To help you relax and be as comfortable as possible, numbing eye drops and, if necessary, medicines are used during both operations.
Differences between LASIK and PRK
In order to address any abnormalities causing focusing difficulties, your eye surgeon will first remove the outer layer of your cornea, known as the epithelium, and then reshape the corneal tissue underneath. The difference between Lasik and PRK is that PRK exposes the surgical site by removing the outer layer of the cornea, allowing the corneal epithelium to naturally recover.
With LASIK in order to provide the surgeon with access to a deeper corneal layer (the stroma), where the reshaping procedure is performed with a second laser, a femtosecond laser microkeratome is utilized to generate a micro-thin flap from the outer cornea. This flap is then gently folded back.
What takes place during a PRK surgery?
There are three steps in the PRK procedure:
- To reveal the central corneal layer (the stroma), the outer corneal layer (the epithelium) covering the seeing section of your eye is carefully removed.
- After that, the freshly exposed corneal tissue is subjected to an excimer laser to smooth out (ablate) the abnormalities that cause focusing problems.
- As your outer corneal layer regenerates, a contact lens bandage is applied to your cornea to aid in healing.
What is the course of LASIK?
There are three steps in the LASIK procedure as well:
- A microscopically thin hinged flap is cut from the outer corneal layer (the epithelium) by a femtosecond laser. Just beyond the outside edge of your iris and out of your range of vision, the flap is flipped open like a book cover with a vertical hinge (think of it as the “book’s binding”).
- The abnormalities causing focusing mistakes in the freshly exposed corneal tissue are then smoothed out (ablated) with an excimer laser.
- The surgeon then carefully tucks the flap back into place and it seals spontaneously.
Which is superior, LASIK or PRK?
The truth is that both methods work just as well and produce results that are comparable when it comes to vision correction.
They vary in how long it takes for patients to heal and how uncomfortable they are:
How long does it take to recover from PRK and LASIK to get clear vision?
A PRK recovery can take two weeks to a month before patients acquire sharp vision, whereas the majority of LASIK patients can see clearly and may have near-perfect vision the day following surgery. This is crucial since people with PRK cannot be allowed to drive until their vision has returned to normal.
Every post-op follow-up will include a vision test to track the healing process. With PRK, peak vision clarity may take up to six months to achieve, while with LASIK, it usually takes three months.
Getting over PRK
Recovery from a PRK treatment might be painful. For a week, patients will wear bandage contact lenses, which may cause discomfort, blurriness, and impaired vision. Additionally, during the early stages of healing, they will become sensitive to light. To help control discomfort, your doctor will recommend lubricating or medicated eye drops as well as painkiller
Getting Over LASIK
Patients recovering from LASIK usually do not have any pain or discomfort after the procedure. In rare cases, patients may have ocular burning, which usually goes away a few hours after surgery. The discomfort will be treated with lubricating or medicinal eye drops, much like with PRK, and should go away in a few days.
Conclusion
In actuality, with so many surgical treatments currently on the market and the dizzying claims being made, researching refractive surgery can be intimidating. The significance of completing your homework prior to having irreversible eye surgery cannot be overstated.
