LASIK or Photorefractive Keratectomy Which Will be Best for You?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Q. I had RK surgery about ten years ago; four slits on each eye. About three years ago, it went south and I now am wearing glasses again. Can I have LASIK done? I am nearsighted and wear bifocals.
AnsweredBy Edward Rashid, M.D, WOAI.com LASIK Expert :
It may be safer to have PRK (laser) instead of LASIK. PRK will laser on the very surface tissue of the cornea and will not disturb the old incisions very much. LASIK will go deeper into the layers of cornea and run the risk of separating the old incisions. PRK is an excellent choice for low degrees of nearsightedness.
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) has been performed for over 15 years. For the PRK procedure, the excimer laser is used on the outer surface and top layers of the cornea to reshape and correct the curvature. This is the same laser treatment as in the LASIK procedure, but with PRK, making a “flap’ is not necessary. I do not use a bladed device in either procedure.
With PRK the outer surface layer of the cornea needs to heal over a few days. Although the healing time is longer with PRK, the benefits are that it is sometimes safer to have PRK than LASIK and it can be a little more accurate and stable than LASIK for some cases. Schedule an appointment so that I can thoroughly evaluate your eyes and look at records from your previous surgery, and then I’ll be able to recommend the best procedure for you.
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