Should I get PRK?
Submitted by trowe on Tue, 2007-10-16 12:53.
I'm still figuring out this whole forum thing. Anyway, I'm schedule to have PRK on Thursday and I'm nervous after reading the comments in this forum.
I have a -12.75 prescription and large pupils, so Lasik is out. Also, I've been informed that I have a higher risk of haloing and bad night vision because of my high Rx.
I've been fine wearing contact lenses, but thought this surgery would be great. Now, I'm not so sure.
Would those of you who've had PRK suggest I get it?
All comments are appreciated since I have to decide in the next 2 days.
PRK == LASIK
There isn't really a difference between the results of PRK and LASIK.. only a difference in the procedure. The large pupils put you at risk for haloing and night vision issues not the Rx. Think of it this way..
You have a lens that is half of a sphere that is 12 cm diameter (just a number not realistic). Let's say the laser which corrects the lens shape can only correct a 6 cm diameter. Let's say your pupil, which takes in light, has a 7 cm diameter. In this case there would be a 1 cm ring (7 cm of light - 6 cm of correction) where the lens was not corrected and unfocused light could come in.. creating a halo.
Your cornea thickness and amount of correction are used to determine qualifying procedures. PRK is used when there isn't enough thickness to create the healing "flap" necessary for LASIK. Otherwise the procedures are the same.
As far as getting it done, I love my results (PRK). In your case, aren't you practically blind without contacts? For me it would be a no-brainer, but you might consider doing one eye at a time (it took me 6 months to fully heal).
-Matt
PRK Fears
I'm scheduled to have PRK this Friday, and I too am getting a little nervous. I was never really informed of the recovery time until my pre-op early this week...I thought it would be like Lasik and fairly quick and easy.
I can do either Lasik or PRK, but decided on PRK b/c it seems more accurate and safer in the longrun (i.e. no flap to worry about).
I guess at this point I'm just going to do it. I really can't miss much work, so I hope I'm not out for a week like some other posts.
Good luck with your PRK if you decided to do it. We'll have to compare recovery stories!