MedicineNet.com
About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
January 8, 2009
  MedicineNet home Picture Slideshows Diseases and conditions Symptoms and signs Procedures and tests Medications Health and Living Health news and views MedTerms medical dictionary  
Font Size
A
A
A


The Cleveland Clinic

Photorefractive Keratotomy (PRK) Eye Surgery

Photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK, is a type of laser eye surgery used to correct mild to moderate nearsightedness , farsightedness and/or astigmatism .

All laser vision correction surgeries work by reshaping the cornea, or clear front part of the eye, so that light traveling through it is properly focused onto the retina located in the back of the eye. There are a number of different surgical techniques used to reshape the cornea. During PRK, an eye surgeon uses a laser to reshape the cornea. This laser, which delivers a cool pulsing beam of ultraviolet light, is used on the surface of the cornea not underneath the cornea, as in LASIK.

Photorefractive keratectomy eye surgery IllustrationWhat Are the Advantages of PRK?

PRK is highly accurate in correcting many cases of nearsightedness. Approximately 80% of PRK patients have 20/20 vision without glasses or contact lenses one year after the surgery; 95%-98% have 20/40 or better without glasses or contacts.

What Are the Disadvantages of PRK?

Disadvantages of PRK include:

  • Mild discomfort, including minor eye irritation and watering, for 1 to 3 days following the procedure.
  • It is expensive, typically costing as much as LASIK, around $2,200 to $2,250 per eye.
  • Somewhat longer time to best uncorrected vision (best vision is vision attained using glasses or contacts) typically patients are 80% at 1 month after surgery, and 95%-100% by 3 months after surgery. LASIK, in contrast, corrects vision much faster.
  • The outcome is not completely predictable and some patients may still require glasses.
 

Next: What are the potential side effects of PRK? »

Printer-Friendly Format  |  Email to a Friend


space Related health and medical articles From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com MedicineNet Doctors recommend space
space
MedicineNet Doctors Recommend
  • Eye Care - Get information on eye care tips and eye health, disorders and treatment with OTC eye-care products, and when to see an ophthalmologist about an eye infection or condition. Source:MedicineNet
  • LASIK Eye Surgery - Get information about LASIK, refractive surgery for vision correction (of astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness), risk factors (dry eyes, high myopia or hyperopia) and benefits. Source:MedicineNet
  • Read 5 more Photorefractive Keratectomy related articles ...
Latest Medical News
space

WebMD Daily

Get breaking medical news.




Symptoms & Signs A-Z List Pinpoint Your Symptoms - Start Now Symptoms & Signs A-Z List Symptoms & Signs by Female Body Region Symptoms & Signs by Male Body Region

Topics Related to Photorefractive Keratectomy

Procedures & Tests
Diseases & Conditions

Photorefractive Keratectomy
RSS FeedSpecialty RSS       Add to My Yahoo! What is this?

Glaucoma Laser Treatment Glaucoma Laser Treatment
Glaucoma is a sight-stealing condition caused by pressure in the eye. Now patients are finding results through glaucoma laser treatment. See more WebMD Videos »






Top 2
Photorefractive Keratectomy Related Articles






Health categories:

Slideshows | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Health & Living | News & Views | Medical Dictionary

Popular health centers:

Allergies | Arthritis | Cancer | Diabetes | Digestion | Healthy Kids | Heart | Men's Health | Mental Health | Women's Health | More...

Publications:

ePublications (PDFs) | XML News via RSS | Audio Podcasts | Email Newsletters

MedicineNet.com:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Search Help | Site Map | WebMD® | Medscape® | eMedicine® | eMedicineHealth® | RxList®

HON Code We comply with the HONcode standard for health trust worthy information:
verify here.

©1996-2009 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Notices and Legal Disclaimer.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.