Our 20/20 LASIK Blog

PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, was the most common laser vision correction procedure in the United States until the development of the LASIK procedure. PRK is the preferred procedure among many surgeons for patients with very large pupils or thin corneas.

Unlike LASIK, PRK is a surface ablation procedure only. It is less invasive than LASIK and produces comparable results. In PRK, the epithelium (outermost layer of the cornea) is removed and the cool laser light from the excimer laser reshapes the cornea to improve and hopefully eliminate your nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism.

Right after the procedure you will rest a few minutes, the doctor will examine you one last time before your driver takes you home to rest for a few hours more. You will have antibiotic drops, artificial tears and anti-inflammatory drops to take on a schedule. You may experience some discomfort during the first few days after the procedure but this should be handled easily with OTC pain relievers. It will take several days or even weeks for your vision to fully stabilize and patients achieve 20/20 or better vision.

If you've been told that you are not a candidate for LASIK, please contact the 20/20 Institute today to schedule a free consultation to determine if you are a candidate for PRK.