The Advantages of Prk Over Lasik

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and LASIK are the most popular types of laser eye surgery today. Many people prefer LASIK because it offers immediate improvements to vision, but LASIK isn't the best choice for all patients. If you're thinking about laser surgery to improve your vision, you should consider the safety, long-term results and history of each procedure before you schedule your procedure.

PRK is Better for Patients With Thin Corneas

• According to All About Vision, PRK is considered safer for patients with thin corneas. Patients with thin corneas who do not quality for LASIK will often quality for PRK instead.

PRK Offers Long Term Vision Improvement

• Although LASIK patients see instant improvement in vision, PRK patients will find that vision continues to improve for days, weeks or even months after surgery. Some studies indicate that PRK results may be more stable over the long term than LASIK results.

PRK Patients Avoid Some LASIK Complications

• LASIK surgery requires that a flap be cut in the cornea, under which a laser shapes the eye. PRK does not require that a flap be cut, so PRK patients are not at risk of flap-related complications after surgery. According to the New York Times, military doctors prefer PRK because they worry about the stability of LASIK incisions during combat or supersonic flight. Likewise, some civilians worry about the flap during contact sports such as boxing or martial arts.

PRK Has a Long Safety Record

• PRK was first performed in 1989, and was approved as a surgical procedure for nearsightedness in 1995 and for farsighteness in 1998. In the decades since it was developed and came into common use, PRK has continually been improved and been shown to be as safe as LASIK.