PRK Results vs. LASIK Results

    ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL, December 02, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The results of PRK and LASIK eye surgery are strikingly similar. Most LASIK patients in Chicago experience an improvement of 20/20 to 20/40 vision. It is not uncommon to have better than 20/20 vision after PRK or LASIK performed by an experienced eye surgeon. There are distinct differences in the actual surgical procedure that result in longer recovery times for PRK than LASIK. While LASIK surgery is most common, you may find PRK to be a better fit based on lifestyle or physical aspects of your cornea.

Length of Recovery Time
A cool laser is used to reshape the cornea in both procedures. Vision tends to be noticeably improved more quickly with LASIK surgery because the corneal flap is returned to place after the surgery. Initially vision will be cloudy after LASIK but will improve dramatically the next morning. You may experience fluctuations in vision the first several weeks. Attending the follow-up appointments with your LASIK doctor will assist in recovery and monitoring your visual progress.

As with LASIK, PRK surgery uses a cool laser but does not create a corneal flap. Instead the PRK surgeon uses the laser to remove a surface layer of the cornea that will regenerate over time. This difference in the surgeries means that a PRK patient will not notice a dramatic visual improvement for at least three days. It will also take anywhere from four to twelve weeks for full recovery from PRK. You may also experience a stronger sensitivity to light and need to take more care to shade your eyes from sunlight during recovery.

Possible Future Incidents
LASIK surgery creates a corneal flap that it is possible to damage with traumatic incidents sometimes experienced by professionals in physically challenging careers. For this reason, you may wish to speak with the appropriate department at work before receiving LASIK. You may find you are more eligible for PRK where there is no corneal flap involved.

Qualifying Surgical Candidates
Both procedures provide correction for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. PRK can also be helpful with presbyopia. You should consider PRK if your doctor discovers thin corneas or corneal irregularities. Be sure to tell your eye doctor if your career is in law enforcement, the military or you are a professional athlete due to the concerns about the physical challenges of those careers.

To learn more about the results of PRK vs. LASIK, please visit the Doctors for Visual Freedom online for information at www.doctorsforvisualfreedom.com.

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