PRK in Carbondale

Photo-Refractive Keratectomy

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see without your glasses or contacts?

PRK is another method of surgically reshaping your cornea using the excimer laser. It was the first procedure to use the excimer laser to treat many types of refractive errors and is still the procedure of choice for certain patients. With PRK, Carbondale eye surgeon Dr. Michaelis Jackson will first remove the very top layer of the cornea (epithelium), the excimer laser is used to reshape the surface of the cornea and the epithelium is then allowed to grow back in naturally.

PRK is for those who:

• want to reduce or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contacts
• are over 18 years of age
• have had a stable eye prescription for at least one year
• have no health issues affecting their eyes
• have corneas too thin for LASIK
• have large pupils

What to Expect on Surgery Day
First, the eye is numbed using eye drop "anesthesia." Then, Carbondale eye surgeon Dr. Michaelis Jackson removes a thin, protective layer of tissue that covers the cornea, called the epithelium. During the procedure, Dr. Michaelis Jackson will instruct you to look directly at the laser's fixation light. Then, a small amount of tissue will be removed from the surface of the cornea. The amount of cornea removed depends on the amount of correction needed. The surgery takes less than 2 minutes. Following the procedure, a special contact lens may be applied and is worn for 2-5 days..

After PRK, patients usually wear a bandage contact lens for 48-72 hours or until the epithelium heals. Because the epithelium was removed and is healing, patients usually feel some discomfort and experience blurry vision for up to three to five days after the procedure. Eye drops and other medications are prescribed to ease discomfort. It can take a few days to a few months for patients to fully reach their optimal outcome.

The major benefit of PRK is that the integrity and strength of the corneal dome is retained. The precision and accuracy of the excimer laser has made PRK successful in the treatment of myopia. PRK is not recommended for everyone, but most patients are eligible for the procedure.

For more information on what LASIK and other vision correction
procedures can do for you, Contact us today.

Schedule a PRK consultation in Carbondale, Illinois