Are you frustrated by constantly wearing glasses when visiting some of the most breathtaking California locations? Perhaps you dream of freeing yourself from contacts, too. Luckily, laser eye surgery offers a chance at correcting your eyesight permanently. During your search for vision correction techniques, you’ll probably come across two main types of procedures – photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and LASIK.
Both involve the use of the laser and reshape the cornea. Still, the ways in which these two approaches are carried out are quite different. In this article, we explain how each of them works.
Everything You Need to Know About PRK Surgery
PRK surgery in California was developed before LASIK eye correction. During the procedure, an eye surgeon removes the thin outer layer of the eye completely. After removing it, a laser helps to reshape the underlying tissue of your cornea. It helps to resolve such common refractive errors as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Thus, you can stop using glasses or any kind of correction thanks to this procedure. Since the thin layer is fully eliminated, it requires your eye to create it again on its own.
As compared to others, recovery after PRK surgery takes much longer. For a couple of days, you may have some discomfort as well as blurred vision. Full restoration of the vision may require several weeks. PRK surgery in California is advised to those who have a thin cornea or lead an active lifestyle. There are no risks of any complications since no corneal flap is made.
How to Get Rid of Glasses with LASIK Eye Surgery
There is no need to introduce LASIK surgery. It is considered one of the most famous laser eye surgeries around the globe. As opposed to PRK, it doesn’t remove the thin layer on the surface but only creates a microscopic flap of hinged type. Once folded back, it allows an eye surgeon to reshape the cornea with the help of the laser. Finally, the flap is laid back into place. In such a way, the surface begins to heal itself almost immediately.
What is even more important than the whole process, is that you can expect speedy recovery once you go through LASIK eye surgery. Usually, patients see drastic improvements within just 24 hours. Discomfort is minimum and lasts not very long. The only condition for the surgery is having thick enough corneas. Moreover, it should be noted that you suffer from mild to moderate refractive error.
PRK vs LASIK: Main Differences
It is impossible to tell which procedure is better overall since everything depends on your unique vision problem and habits. Nonetheless, it is necessary to consider the pros and cons of each of the surgeries. First of all, we should mention fast recovery as a major advantage of LASIK surgery. Typically, patients recover rather quickly and can even go driving the next day. Although LASIK has a low rate of complications, flap displacement may occur if your face suffers any kind of injuries after surgery.
In contrast to LASIK, PRK doesn’t involve creating the flap. Therefore, you have a higher level of protection and structural integrity. It makes PRK the preferable option for athletes and police officers. PRK surgery in California may seem less attractive due to the longer recovery period and discomfort. Nevertheless, both surgeries result in similar outcomes.
Your Path Towards Perfect Vision
As you’ve already understood, both PRK and LASIK surgeries are highly successful. What is even more important, they allow getting rid of glasses and living an active life. How can you find out what kind of eye surgery would be the best for your eyes? Consult with a professional ophthalmologist!