Treatment Options

Choosing the Right Laser Eye Surgery Treatment 

Advanced PRK

Why Advanced PRK?

Prior to the development of LASIK, Photorefractive Keratectomy or PRK was the first excimer laser eye surgery procedure to correct short sight (near sight / myopia), long sight (far sight/ hyperopia), and astigmatism. It has undergone many advances and innovations since its introduction more than 20 years ago.

Visual outcomes following Advanced PRK surgery are as good as those produced by LASIK, and while most laser eye surgery treatments carried out are LASIK, for a certain number of patients who have irregularly shaped or thin corneas, Advanced PRK is more appropriate.

What is Advanced PRK vision correction?

Overview

Advanced PRK is a surgical procedure that corrects refractive errors. It is also commonly known ASA / ASLA (Advanced Surface Laser Ablation) and LASEK.

Developed in the 1980s and evolved in 1990s it has successfully transformed the vision of millions of people.

During Advanced PRK, the surgeon gently polishes away the outer skin of the eye (epithelium) and uses a cool beam of laser light to sculpt the corneal tissue into a new shape to correct the refractive error.

A ‘bandage’ contact lens is placed on the eye to promote comfort and healing. The surface skin grows back over the next few days.

Following Advanced PRK eye treatment, it is normal to feel some discomfort on the second and third day post surgery as the cornea’s surface regenerates.  Most patients will be completely comfortable by day four.

Advanced PRK Laser Eye Surgery Procedure At-A-Glance

Step 1: PRK Preparation

Anaesthetic, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are applied to the eye. An icepack is held over the eye for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Surface Adjustment

The surgeon gently brushes away the outer layer of the cornea.

Step 3: Cornea Reshaping

Computer-controlled pulses of cool laser light are applied to the cornea.

Step 4: Advanced PRK Completion

A ‘bandage’ contact lens is placed onto the eye to promote comfort and healing. This lens remains on the eye for 3 days, until removed by the optometrist.

Generally, vision will be good enough to drive within 4-5 days following your Advanced PRK laser eye surgery, and you may return to work within a week. However, you may not achieve your best vision until four weeks after laser eye surgery as the epithelium smoothes.

What’s the difference between Advanced PRK and LASIK?

In Advanced PRK, the surgeon carefully brushes away the cornea’s outer skin (epithelium), before using the excimer laser to sculpt the cornea to the required shape.

After Advanced PRK, a ‘bandage’ contact lens is placed on the eye to promote comfort and healing while the epithelium regenerates naturally over the next few days.

This process differs from LASIK in its preparation of the cornea, since in LASIK the surgeon cuts a micro thin flap in the cornea, gently pulls it back, and then replaces the flap to its normal position after corneal reshaping with the laser.

Find out more on choosing the right treatment option for you, or book online to meet with our highly experienced refractive laser optometrists and surgeon, who will thoroughly examine your eyes and assess your suitability for laser eye surgery.

Discover how you could be seeing without glasses or contact lenses within weeks.