PRK Eligibility

    CHICAGO, IL, May 01, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- PRK, Photorefractive Keratectomy, is a vision correction surgery you can probably have if you are not a good LASIK candidate. About 80% of the adult U.S. population qualifies as potential PRK candidates.

There are fewer criteria for PRK eligibility than there are for LASIK. If you have thin corneas, large pupils and/or severe nearsightedness (as opposed to mild or moderate nearsightedness), you would probably not qualify for LASIK. But you could probably have PRK.

LASIK can treat nearsightedness up to about -10 D so if you are more severely myopic than that, you could still have PRK, other things being equal.

Basic criteria for selection are:

- Normal ocular health
- A least 18 years of age
- Stable vision prescription for at least one year
- Not pregnant or nursing
- Clear understanding of how PRK is done and why it is a good option for you
- Good understanding of the possible risks
- No health conditions that could complicate healing

One of the advantages of PRK for active outdoor people is that it creates no corneal flap as LASIK does. The LASIK flap heals up by itself but if a sports accident were to involve the eyes, the flap could be dislodged and need repairing. After PRK, there is no such concern and you can be as active in your lifestyle as you would like.

PRK is a basically painless procedure, performed in the doctor's office without need for general anesthesia. It is accomplished quickly, usually in less than 15 minutes, and you can leave the office after a short rest. You would need someone to drive you home. You would be wearing "bandage" contact lenses to protect the cornea while the surface cells regrow.

That is because instead of creating a corneal flap, PRK removes some surface corneal tissue, allowing it to grow back after the procedure. So recovery takes longer after PRK than it does after LASIK. The contact lenses would be removed after three or four days and you would have moisturizing eyedrops as well as antibiotic eyedrops to use for a short time.

Your best source of PRK information is a qualified, experienced ophthalmologist who can assess your specific needs and recommend the treatment best for you.

If you live in the Chicago, Arlington Heights or Schaumburg area of Illinois, the experienced eye care team at Doctors for Visual Freedom is ready to meet your needs; please visit their website for more information at www.doctorsforvisualfreedom.com

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