Anybody had PRK recently?

[huskychemist]

I had mine two weeks ago, and it's great to be able to read the clock by the bed in the morning. (Those of you without glasses/contacts won't understand that thrill very much.)

I am, however, still waiting for the "crispness" to come back to my eyes. My docs told me 1 to 2 MONTHS before my vision stabilized. With the "miracle" of LASIK, this was one of the harder things to digest about PRK.

If you've had PRK:

How bad were your eyes before?
When did you have it done?
How good are your eyes now?
How long did it take for your vision to stabilize?
Any side effects? (e.g. halo, etc.)
Was it worth it?


Thanks so much!

So far...for me...it's been worth it, but I'm hoping for a bit more clarity over the next month or so...

Lowell

 

[Wildcard]

I had Lasik six months ago, not PRK I know but it is awsome. I have been blind my whole life, now, 20/15 in both eyes. Just a little sticky in my right eye but it was that way before....DO IT!

 

[_Bella_]

I had LASIK 3 years ago and can see 20/10 or better. My eyes weren't terribly bad before. It took me about 3 months for my vision to completely stabilize, and I have had no lasting side affects. It was absolutely worth it!

 

[CheddarChick]

I am waiting to go for my pre-check to see if I am eligible for Lasik.. Nervous bery nervous.. Glad to hear it was worth it. Why PRK over Lasik?

 

[_Bella_]

Here's a comparison of the two:

http://www.prk.com/LASIKvsPRK.html

And here is a comparison of two people (friends) that had their procedures on the same days and wrote a journal of sorts of the days and weeks of recovery.

http://mattfleming.com/node/67

 

[CheddarChick]

Bella,
Thank you... That was great to read! I am really nervous about it but the chance of seeing without hardware is too appealing.

 

[huskychemist]

Alright...I'll try again...

Has anybody out there had PRK recently? I already had PRK two weeks ago, and I'm looking for answers to these questions, so I can compare my healing process to others that have had PRK. Yes, I know people heal differently, but this might help me get a range of possibilities...

If you've had PRK:

How bad were your eyes before?
When did you have it done?
How good are your eyes now?
How long did it take for your vision to stabilize?
Any side effects? (e.g. halo, etc.)
Was it worth it?



PRK is different from Lasik in terms of how they get to your eye, so the healing process is significantly different. There are many many Lasik resources out there, but I was hoping for some divers that got their eyes fixed with PRK.

For those of you that got Lasik...WAY COOL! I'm glad you're seeing better. I am still amazed that I can read my clock by the bed. The first few days I wanted to take my contacts out before going to bed...and reached for my glasses by the bed when I woke up. Very different.


So...any PRK folks?

Thanks!

 

[huskychemist]

I am waiting to go for my pre-check to see if I am eligible for Lasik.. Nervous bery nervous.. Glad to hear it was worth it. Why PRK over Lasik?

I know somebody else already posted a great resource for you to compare PRK with Lasik...but I'll throw my two psi in here...since I had PRK after intending to get Lasik.


Lasik (abridged version): They cut a flap in your eye, fold the flap back, then zap your cornea with a laser to reshape it. Then close the flap. Voila! Good vision. (After a nice long nap, etc.)

PRK (abridged version): They scrape the epithelial cells from the surface of your cornea (not as bad as it sounds...), then zap your cornea with a laser to reshape it. Put a contact over your eye to protect it while the cells that got scraped away get a chance to regrow. Well...not those ACTUAL cells...but you know what I mean. Presto Chango...go home and stay in bed for two or three days while your eyes burn...then you have blurry vision and are very light sensitive for a few days...then your eyes stabilize a bit and you can see...then they take out the contact...presto chango...you can't quite see the same again...then you keep putting drops in your eyes to help them...then...um....this is where I'm at in the process.


In general, Lasik is a more difficult surgery (although quite easy by surgical standards) than PRK, but PRK has a much longer healing process. Many people talk of going home after surgery and taking a nap, and waking up with almost perfect vision. Not so with PRK. Patience is a virtue. PRK is an easier surgery, but a longer recovery.

So...why one over the other?

Not cost...at least for me...they were the same price.

Some people are not "recommended" for Lasik if their corneas are too thin. Mine were too thin. So they told me about PRK. PRK is the only surgery the military will allow...as there is no flap that can become an issue later. My surgeon is actually a diver. He had Lasik, and wishes he had PRK. So, if you get Lasik, is it a problem for diving? Nope...not usually...many people on here have had Lasik and dive fine. But there will always be a flap that healed. With PRK, there is no flap, so the eye is "as good as new" so they say.

Alright...my long winded answer...

If you're considering Lasik and they tell you your corneas are too thin...PRK is a good alternative, it just requires a longer healing time. And regardless, the surgery isn't that difficult.

Thanks. Hope you end up with happy eyes.

Lowell

 

[CrawfishDiver]

How did you do?? any better ? ust had PRK 5 days ago hard to read computer but seems better.

 

[AmyJ]

My DH and I both had PRK. After his great success and reading about the differences... I was really hoping for PRK... then found out I wasn't eligible for Lasik... YAY!!!

It took awhile... yes, I was a bit freaked about at various times after surgery, but I have 15/20... or is that 20/15... anyway... I'm at one year post op.. and still holding great. It is wonderful. The only thing I do notice is that my eyes get really dry during the night... if my kids come running in and my eyes fly open... it is like sandpaper rubbing across my eyes... I try to open slowly... but with kids, it doesn't usually happen that way.. I am surprised to still have this a year later, but it is still worth it!! And diving is wonderful!!!