PRK surgery
Development of the excimer laser started in the 1980s. In the course of the years elapsed, it has been proven that surface laser treatment (photorefractive keratectomy = PRK) is highly suitable for correcting refraction errors. The excimer laser device itself works at high accuracy, under computer control, and using high-power UV light impulses, thereby it can evaporate the surface tissue of the cornea without damaging adjacent areas and adjust eye refraction to the desired value. After treatment, the cornea acts as built-in glasses.
Excimer laser treatment can be performed on myopic patients over 18 whose refraction has not changed for a year and on hyperopic patients over 40. This intervention is primarily recommended for people whose myopia ranges from -1.0 and -6.0 dioptres; whose hyperopia is between +1.5 and +4.0 dioptres; and whose astigmatism is between 1.0 and 4.0 dioptres. Beyond these values, the number of dioptres can be decreased upon individual assessment.
The process of the PRK surgery with us:
1. You will need to take a mild anxiolytic Xanax, even if you are not anxious or afraid, because it
will help you relax during the surgery.
2. Next, your eye will be anaesthetised with Humacain eye drops.
3. The assistant will walk you to the surgery room, where the doctor, the assistant and a clinical
engineer will be present, who supervises the laser equipment. The surgery will be performed in a
lying position. Then the excimer laser intervention is performed, removing a microscopic tissue
layer from the surface of the cornea. This way the refraction defects of the eye (myopia,
hypermetropia, astigmatism) are corrected. The laser intervention itself takes 30 to 60 seconds
while you must look at a flashing red light.
You do not have to worry about blinking, we will prevent that with a tiny device.
You will not feel anything, only will hear the clicking of the laser instrument.
You will not feel any pain either during the preparation, or during the laser surgery.
4. At the end of the operation, you will be given antibiotic eye drops, and the doctor places
therapeutic contact lenses in your eyes.
5. During the treatment, all you have to do is lie calmly and without moving, and look into the light
of the microscope.
6. Right after the surgery, in the surgery room, you will feel a little bit of difference, your sight will be
much clearer, than without glasses but not as clear as it will be in a few days or weeks time.
7. The assistant will walk you back to the waiting room, where a few minutes of rest is
recommended.
8. You will also be given prescription for antibiotic eye drops (Ciloxan), which you will have to use
every 2-3 hours, until epithelialization has finished.
During the 1 to 3 days after a PRK intervention, lacrimation, the feeling of a foreign body and sensitivity to light are to occur; or even pain and obscured sight are likely. This unpleasant feeling is to subside by the 3rd to 5th day after the operation. Your sight is expected to be stabilized in 2 to 3 months, but as a rule, you will see quite well already on the first week after the surgery, so you can return to your usual lifestyle.
TIME OF STAY:
5 days
