Guide To Managing Farsightedness

Photorefractive Keratectomy

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a corrective refractive surgical procedure that treats conditions such as astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. PRK was the first type of vision correction laser eye surgery to come about before LASIK surgery was introduced. Photorefractive keratectomy offers advantages for certain patients over the LASIK procedure. In the first part of the PRK procedure, the entire epithelium or outer layer of the cornea is removed using a surgical instrument, buffing device, or an alcohol solution. That tissue is then discarded. After this, the surgeon uses the same type of excimer laser used in LASEK surgery to reshape the cornea of the eye. The patient's eye is then left alone to build itself a new layer of the epithelial eye surface covering for the next several days. While the chances of contracting an eye infection are greater with photorefractive keratectomy, the entire depth of the underlying stroma can be treated because the surgeon does not have to accommodate a flap. For individuals who have farsightedness and too thin of a cornea for LASIK surgery, PRK is a viable and practical alternative. This procedure is also a helpful option for individuals who have a thinner cornea due to having had LASIK surgery already.

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