Take Your Summer to the Next Level After PRK
August 29th, 2022
Summer’s the season to live life to the fullest, which can mean taking the next step to visual freedom. You don’t want to depend on glasses and contact lenses to see clearly.Â
There are many vision correction procedures that can provide you with greater visual freedom, including PRK. Keep reading to learn how you can take your summer to the next level after PRK!
Instead of LASIK, Consider PRK
Some people are not candidates for LASIK, but this doesn’t mean life without glasses or contacts is out of reach. You can still experience reduced dependency on visual aids through an alternative procedure.
Photorefractive keratectomy, commonly referred to as PRK, is a permanent vision correction procedure that can provide you with greater visual freedom. PRK can correct refractive errors like astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness.
PRK is different from LASIK in one key area. During LASIK, the eye surgeon creates a flap in the top layer of the cornea as part of the procedure to correct vision.
LASIK will not be recommended to you if your corneas aren’t thick enough for a flap.
How PRK is Different
PRK takes a different approach. During the PRK procedure, your eye surgeon will remove the epithelial layer, the outermost layer of cells in the cornea.
After PRK surgery, the epithelial layer heals in three to four days, regenerating on its own. As the cornea heals, you may experience short-term blurred vision.
Because the flap created during LASIK takes time to heal, the procedure is often not recommended for those who frequently participate in contact sports such as martial arts or boxing. It may also not be recommended for those in certain professions like law enforcement or the military.
This is because those in these professions and hobbies are more likely to be in a position that disrupts the cornea during the healing process. PRK is regarded as a better choice for anyone in these activities or careers.
Your Next-Level Summer in Rocket City
Schedule your PRK surgery now to take advantage of the last hot days of summer. After surgery and the short recovery period, you can still enjoy the sun on your face and the wind in your hair, driving with the windows open and not worrying about your contacts drying out.
You’ll be able to swim, play sports, and go running without the inconvenience of glasses. You’ll experience Rocket City like you never have before.
Take your summer to the next level with the freedom and independence of clear, sharp vision, and reduce your dependence on glasses and contacts.
Are You Eligible for PRK?
To be a candidate for PRK, you must be at least eighteen years old. The procedure is best performed on adults with stable sight that will not change significantly over time.
This means that you will also need to have a prescription that has not changed in the past year. It’s also more effective for patients whose prescriptions fall within the mild-to-moderate range.
Your eye doctor will be able to advise you on whether you meet these guidelines. Your eyes should be healthy and free of infections or chronic eye conditions, like dry eye syndrome or glaucoma.
It is also important that you are in good overall health. PRK is not recommended for patients with immunodeficiencies or autoimmune diseases, as this can interfere with healing.
Ongoing health problems, such as uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, or vascular illness, would also rule you out as a candidate for PRK.
Do you want to learn more about PRK? Schedule a consultation at Laser Eye Center in Hunstville, AL, today!
