What is the difference between prk and lasek

With that in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to create a simple guide to the surgery types: how they work, and how they differ. PRK is where the story of laser eye surgery begins.

It was first developed in the s by Columbia University researcher Stephen Trokel, using a then-new technology called the excimer laser. PRK stands for photorefractive keratectomy, and it works by removing the surface layer of the cornea —known as the epithelium — in order to reshape the underlying tissue.

The epithelium is a brilliant device. To protect the eye from dust and pollutants, that top layer of cells is continually regenerating itself. Think of it as like those tear-off windscreen stickers used by motorbike racers. The surgeon places a tiny well on the surface of the eye. A few alcohol drops dissolve the epithelium in the knowledge that the cornea will grow a new one within a few days. And then an excimer laser swiftly reshapes the newly-exposed layer of cornea the corneal stroma to correct the vision problem.

PRK is particularly useful for people with thin corneas and certain medical conditions affecting their eyes. The other advantage of PRK is that it can be used for patients with medical conditions affecting their cornea, where surface treatment is preferable. And the disadvantages? The main one revolves around the recovery process. The eyes can take a week or more to heal following surgery, and are likely to feel quite uncomfortable for the first few days.

That said, we can mitigate any pain with a good course of painkillers — as I found myself when I had PRK some years ago. ASA stands for advanced surface ablation.

Rather a mouthful, perhaps. What you need to know in essence, though, is that it corrects vision in the same way as PRK. In fact most surgeons will use the terms interchangeably. Surgery takes place on the corneal surface and an advanced laser re-sculpts the tissue.

In most cases the flap is then put back in place, supplemented by a soft contact lens to aid the healing process. LASEK is a good fit for a wide variety of vision issues, including nearsightedness, longsightedness and astigmatism. Since we are replacing the epithelium, some have argued that LASEK also results in a more comfortable recovery.

That said, the healing process does take time — we would usually expect some discomfort in the immediate aftermath, again supplemented by a soft contact lens, with normal vision returning within two days to a week of surgery. LASIK, which stands for laser assisted in-situ keratomileusis, has been in use for around 25 years. With LASIK, an exceptionally precise femtosecond Visumax laser forms the flap in the eye by creating a plane of micro-bubbles , about microns below the surface the bubbles dissolve naturally following surgery.

Once this tiny section has been peeled back, a second laser is used to correct the vision impairment. Both procedures have their pros and cons, and your eye doctor can help you determine which type of surgery is best for you based on your specific situation. PRK, the procedures have both similarities and differences.

Both procedures use an excimer laser to reshape the cornea so that when light enters the eye it is focusing properly on the retina, resulting in clear vision. There are a few differences between the two. After the correction has been completed the flap is replaced.

The surgeon lifts the flap, reshapes the cornea to improve vision, and then replaces the flap. During this procedure, the flap is created with a special laser and, as with traditional LASIK, the flap is lifted and the cornea is reshaped with the Eximer Laser.

PRK stands for photorefractive keratectomy. According to EyeSmart, in PRK, the surgeon removes the epithelium, or protective layer of of the cornea, instead of creating a flap to access the cornea in order to perform the vision correction portion of the procedure. Because of this, PRK can be a good choice for patients with thin corneas or who suffer from chronic dry eye.

LASEK stands for laser epithelial keratomileusis. The basic technique is the same as PRK. With this method of laser eye surgery, the surgeon moves a very thin surface layer of the cornea and pushes it to the side of the iris area, which allows reshaping of the cornea to improve vision. The surface layer is then moved back and the surgeon puts a protective lens in place during healing. LASEK may be a better option for patients who have thin corneas, or who play sports or have jobs that could cause trauma to the eye.

All of these procedures can help improve your vision.