PRK Surgery Explained: Pros, Cons, and what to Expect

Before surgery

Review the risks, benefits, and cost of PRK with your ophthalmologist.
Your doctor will review your medical history, test your vision, examine your eyes, and measure your cornea and pupil to determine if this procedure is right for you.
You may not be a good candidate if you're under 21, pregnant, nursing, or have pre-existing conditions, including cornea disease, uncontrolled diabetes, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, or advanced glaucoma.

During surgery

PRK is an outpatient procedure, and the surgery itself takes less than 10 minutes.
Your doctor will numb the eye with anesthetic drops, and use an eyelid holder to keep your eye open during the procedure.
The doctor will then use a laser, brush, blade, or alcohol solution to remove the epithelium, or the outer layer of the cornea.
You will be asked to look at a target light while a laser reshapes your cornea based on your eye measurements.
Your surgeon will put a contact lens over the eye to act as a bandage.

After surgery

Ask a friend or family member to drive you home after surgery.
Follow your doctor’s aftercare instructions. Rest, avoid strenuous physical activity, and stay away from products that may irritate the eye.
Your doctor will prescribe eye drops to prevent infection and aid healing.
Wear sunglasses outside—sun exposure can scar the cornea after surgery.
You may experience mild eye pain for the first 24 to 36 hours, and short-term blurred vision during the first week. Your ophthalmologist can recommend over-the-counter or prescription eye drops for pain.
Schedule follow-ups with your doctor as instructed—it can take up to three months for vision to stabilize completely.

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