PRK surgery is a type of refractive eye surgery that helps correct the degree of vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, modifying the shape of the cornea by a laser that corrects the curvature of the cornea, which is able to improve vision.
This surgery has many similarities to Lasik surgery, however, some stages of the procedure are different in each technique, and although this surgery appeared before Lasik surgery and has a longer postoperative, it is still used in many cases, especially in people with thinness. Cornea.
- Despite being a safe surgery and providing excellent vision results.
- It is still possible to have complications in the postoperative period.
- Such as infection.
- Corneal injuries or changes in vision.
- For example.
- And to avoid it it is necessary to take some precautions.
- How to use prescription eye drops.
- Sleep with special glasses and avoid swimming in public places for 1 month.
PRK surgery is performed without general anesthesia and, as a result, the person remains awake throughout treatment. However, to reduce pain and discomfort, anesthetic drops are used to numb the eye for a few minutes before starting the procedure.
To perform surgery, your doctor places a device to keep your eye open, and then use a substance that helps remove the thinnest, shallower layer of your cornea. A computer-controlled laser is then used that sends pulses of light to the eye, which helps correct the curvature of the cornea. At this point, it is possible to feel a slight increase in pressure in the eye, however, this is a quick sensation since the procedure lasts about 5 minutes.
Finally, contact lenses are applied to the eyes to temporarily replace the thin layer of cornea that has been removed from the eye. These lenses, in addition to protecting your eyes from dust, help prevent infections and speed recovery.
After surgery, it is very common to have discomfort in the eyes, feeling dusty, burning and itching, for example, considered normal and consequence of inflammation of the eye, improving after about 2 to 4 days.
To protect the eye, contact lenses that function as a bandage are placed at the end of the surgery and, therefore, it is recommended to take certain precautions during the first few days, such as not rubbing your eyes, resting your eyes and wearing sunglasses. out of.
In addition, within 24 hours of surgery, it is recommended to avoid opening your eyes in the shower, not consuming alcoholic beverages, not watching TV or using the computer if your eyes are dry, as well as using eye drops as recommended by Ophthalmologist. Other precautions during the recovery period include:
Daily activities can be resumed slowly after 1 week, however, those with the greatest impact, such as sports, should only be resumed following the doctor’s instructions.
PRK surgery is very safe and therefore complications are rare. However, one of the most common problems is the appearance of scarring in the cornea, which aggravates vision and creates a very blurry image. This problem, although rare, can be easily corrected with the use of corticosteroid drops.
In addition, as with any surgical procedure, there is a risk of infection and, therefore, it is very important to always use the antibiotic eye drops prescribed by the doctor and be careful with eye and hand hygiene during the recovery period. Find out what essential eye care 7 is.
The main difference between these two types of surgery lies in the early stages of the technique, since while in PRK surgery the thinnest layer of the cornea is removed to allow the passage of the laser, in Lasik surgery only a small opening (lambeau) is performed in the surface layer of the cornea.
Thus, although they have very similar results, PRK surgery is recommended for those who have a finer cornea, since in this technique it is not necessary to make a deeper incision. However, as a thin layer is removed from the cornea, recovery is slower to allow this layer to grow naturally again.
In addition, while the outcome of the surgery appears more quickly in Lasik, in PRK, the expected result may take a little longer due to the increased likelihood of an exacerbated cure. Learn more about Lasik surgery.