prk 5 days ago - 20/60 vision

hellomousy

when I first had the PRK done, I was also a -7.5. It is almost 4 months since I had the procedure and I am just now starting to see things very clearly(actually as of last month, I was a 20/20). It was also painful for a couple of weeks after surgery. Im not sure about the wait time for the 2nd procedure.

I rarely get involved in blogs but fely I had to put my 2 cents in.

I had PRK done to my left eye 2 days ago(6/29/07). This was actually a revision to a Lasik procedure done in 1997. I originally needed a -10 correction. At the time of my first procedure Lasik was not indicated for such high myopia(also had very high astigmatism) and the machines have changed since then. I found out years later that I was left with a 'corneal island' which was a bump in the middle of the cornea which caused me to have a double image which was only corrected by wearing contacts. I finally had the courage to go for PRK last week(a repeat flap was not an option as the original 10 diopter correction burned off more of my cornea than most procedures do)
So right before the procedure I asked the ophthalmologist how long it would take and he told me 2 weeks to see how my vision would turn out. I thought he was exagerating so things would appears to be better than expected but I was kidding myself.
Having nothing but time on my hands I did a lot of surfing in the last 2 days and read a lot of individual accounts. Over all they have been reassuring. The lessons I have learned from them and my own experiences are as follows:
1.Recovery is long: Originally quoted 2 weeks, the followup surgeon advised me up to 4 months. So don't dispair for at least a week or two
2.Vision seems to come and go. Most people say they see clearly at first then foggy then clears up again. Apparently as the corneal epithelium starts to heal it is irregular and can decrease visual acuity at first till it fully heals and becomes the beautifully smooth glistening surface we all love
3.The bandage lens is not getting dirty causing the foggy vision. I thought this myself till about 30 minutes ago. According to someone elses account, when the bandage lense is removed his vision actually worsened. The bandage lens actually puts a mooth surface to the eyeball and helps with vision. When removed we are left with an imperfect, still filling in corneal surface(epithelial layer). I would guess thats what takes the next several days to fully heal and remodel.
4. The PAIN is significant. The worst part for me was the next morning. I woke up with no pain whatsoever. While getting ready for leaving for my 1st post op visit I experienced the most excrucuiating pain which persisted for over an hour despite medications. The healing cornea most likley stuck to the bandage lens while I was sleeping and tore apart during normal waking movement. Last night I didn't go to sleep till 4:30, using my drops religiously(as I had been doing all along) and had my wife wake me at 8 to put drops in again; no problems today which I was told would be my worst day!

Sorry for long post but hope it will be of help to other would be or recent PRK patients. BTW my vision is no better yest and I have a different ghost image than prior to procedure, but based on my reading I will have to wait and see how it is in a few week

Good luck with your visiona nd hope our pleasantly surprised