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Photo-Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) is an alternate laser procedure for patients who have thin corneas where iLASIK may not leave enough residual tissue behind. As such, the most superficial surface of the eye is removed and the eye is then lasered. The superficial tissue completely regrows over the next 3-5 days.1.Patient satisfaction rates and vision correction outcomes after PRK are comparable to those for LASIK2.
Serving residents of Detroit and all of Michigan, the experienced eye surgeons at Fraser Eye Center can help our patients achieve their clearest possible vision with a PRK procedure.
Unlike LASIK, PRK doesn’t require an incision in the cornea, an important difference for someone with unusually thin corneas, where an incision could potentially affect the structural integrity of the eye.
In LASIK the surface of the eye (the corneal tissue) is cut and a flap is made and then an excimer laser is used to reshape the shape of the eye to correct your refractive prescription. In PRK, the excimer laser is also utilized but because your cornea may be thin, a cut/flap is not made but rather the most superficial part of the cornea is removed generally through an alcohol solution. That tissue generally completely regrows over the next 3 to 5 years.
What Does PRK Treat?
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) reshapes the cornea to treat common refractive errors, including:
Who is a Candidate for PRK?
Not everyone can be a candidate for PRK or laser eye surgery. Certain eye, health and lifestyle conditions may disqualify some candidates from this refractive surgery procedure. Candidates include:
A thorough examination by an ophthalmologist is the first step in preparing for PRK. During this meeting, the doctor will review your medical history and you will have the opportunity to discuss your vision frustrations and goals. Then, you and your doctor will decide whether PRK is the right choice for you.
PRK is an outpatient procedure, and there is not much you will need to do to prepare for it. Please arrive at our eye care center wearing no makeup, lotions, or creams on your face. Additionally, you will need to make arrangements for transportation, as patients are not permitted to drive themselves home after PRK.
The PRK procedure itself takes only a few minutes, but you can expect to be at our eye care center for a few hours on the day of your procedure.
Before beginning PRK, your eye surgeon will apply anesthetic eye drops to help you stay comfortable. A special device will be used to hold your eyes open, so you won’t need to worry about blinking.
To begin PRK, the ophthalmologist will gently remove the epithelial (outer) layer of the cornea. Next, an excimer laser will be used for reshaping the cornea, helping it properly focus light and correcting refractive errors. A temporary bandage contact lens will be placed over the corneal flap to protect it as the epithelial cells regenerate, and you will be fitted with a temporary patch or shield over the eye. After a brief recovery at Fraser Eye Care center, you will be ready to go home.
The epithelial cells of the cornea need to regenerate after PRK, so the recovery time is a bit longer than LASIK recovery. Over the course of the next three to five days following your procedure, you will need to wear a temporary bandage contact lens to protect your eye as it heals.
You may experience some mild discomfort, inflammation, watering, itching, or other symptoms after PRK, but this can be managed with eye drops and over-the-counter medications. Please try not to touch or rub your eyes!
Most of our patients take two to three days off of work to recover from PRK. Your doctor will instruct you when you can return to your normal activities, usually within a week or two. You’ll notice the results of PRK within roughly one month.
$1,882/eye
$1,882/eye
$1,882/eye
Varies, depending on lens implant
Quick (24-48 hrs)
2-4 Weeks
1-2 weeks
1-2 weeks
10 Minutes
10 Minutes
20-30 Minutes
15-20 Minutes
Yes, up to -12D
Yes, up to -12D
Yes, up to -20D
Yes, up to -26D
Yes, up to +5D
Yes, up to +5D
Yes, up to +10D
Yes, with Monovision
Yes, with Monovision
Yes, with multifocal IOLs
Yes, during recovery
A little, during recovery
No. Your eyes will be numbed with anesthetic eye drops prior to the procedure, and pain will not be part of your PRK experience. You may feel some discomfort during the healing process, but you’ll be able to manage this with over-the-counter pain medications.
The vision is often blurrier with PRK the first couple weeks as the superficial surface regrows and rebalances. While LASIK patients generally notice mild blur for up to a couple days. Long term though the quality of vision is similar. Because of the longer healing period with PRK, many patients prefer to have one eye treated at a time, separated by two week-long healing period.
PRK is generally considered to be a safe laser eye surgery procedure. However, there are risks and complications associated with any surgical procedure. Potential risks of PRK, while rare, include:
If you would like to learn more about PRK and other laser vision correction procedures and whether you may be a candidate, please contact us to schedule a consultation. We have offices conveniently located in Port Huron, Fraser, Warren, and Royal Oak.
1 Cleveland Clinic. What is photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) eye surgery? Available: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/8596-photorefractive-keratectomy-prk-eye-surgery. Accessed March 31, 2022.
2 Hashmani N, Hashmani S, Ramesh P, et al. A Comparison of Visual Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction Between Photorefractive Keratectomy and Femtosecond Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. Cureus. 2017;9(9):e1641. Published 2017 Sep 1. doi:10.7759/cureus.1641. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5665689/. Accessed March 31, 2022.
3 Spadea L, Giovannetti F. Main Complications of Photorefractive Keratectomy and their Management. Clin Ophthalmol. 2019;13:2305-2315. Published 2019 Nov 27. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S233125. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6885542/. Accessed March 31, 2022.
The Fraser Eye Care Center Doctors have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
