Some aspects of LASIK and PRK

Today, there are a couple of eyesight surgical treatments for people’s selection. This large market has been boosted by the increasing number of vision-impaired patients, including manly the myopic, the hyperopic and the presbyopic. Among all laser eye surgeries that are in clinical practice, LASIK and PRK are among the most popular and they have much in common. For instance, both LASIK and PRK are outpatient procedures. Lying down in a reclining chair, the patient will receive anesthetic drops and a flap creation in the cornea. Then some corneal tissues can be removed. After the surgery, eye drops or ointments will be applied. In this article, the common points of these two procedures will be explored.

LASIK and PRK take similar ways of laser treatment

A surgery of laser vision correction can reshape the cornea using a cool beam of light and improve visual acuity. The laser performs in several ways, flattening the cornea, steepening the cornea or smoothing out corneal irregularities. More specifically, myopic patients have too steep eyes which should be flattened via laser treatment. In opposite, farsighted people have too flattened corneas and they should be steepened during the surgery. Both LASIK and PRK use these types of laser treatment and follow the same principles. Corneal tissues are the common target of these two surgeries.

One eye per visit and per-eye price

Another common point between LASIK and PRK is that they only treat one eye during a procedure. If the patient wants to get the other eye cured, another visit after a certain period is necessary. This is the regular practice among LASIK and PRK surgeons. The reason is quite understandable that treating two eyes at the same time involves more risks and it is harder to make a remedy once a mishap occurs. Knowing this point will help people understand why these surgeries charge on a per-eye basis. Note that any price of laser eye surgery typically covers only one eye.

Eye safety is guaranteed and eye pain will not happen

Although any surgical procedure is associated with certain risks, LASIK and PRK are proven to be safe and effective. The laser beam is under control at any time during the procedure and many safeguards are in place. Complications of these laser surgeries only occur at a low incidence, including dry eyes and nighttime glare. Applied with anesthetic eye drops before the surgery, the patient will not experience any eye pain during a LASIK or PRK procedure. In some cases, pain medications are needed after the surgery. Involving deeper layers of the cornea, PRK brings more discomfort than LASIK. The entire process of LASIK or PRK procedure takes about 15 minutes.

LASIK and PRK require a candidate evaluation

Candidate evaluation is necessary for laser vision correction. Pre-operational eye problems such as glaucoma, infection, cataracts and severe dry eye may exclude the patients from both LASIK and PRK. Good candidates should be over 21 and their vision must be stable for at least one year. Pregnant and nursing people should also be excluded. Most of these aspects can be assessed during a comprehensive eye exam. But some healthy conditions rely on the patient’s honest introduction.

Some post-operative points

Most people can resume their work within three days after the LASIK or PRK procedure. Most side effects of laser procedure including dry eye, starbursts and light halos will lessen and disappear over time. An enhancement treatment is needed if there is visual regression or worsening.