While the recovery differs, says Dr. Gicheru, LASIK and PRK procedures are extremely similar from the patient’s point of view. If you and your doctor decide surgery is best, here’s what’s next:
LASIK: It Takes ‘Just 10 Minutes Per Eye’
On the day of their LASIK surgery, patients can expect their eyes to be numbed with eye drops, says Brad Randleman, M.D., a professor of ophthalmology at the Cole Eye Institute of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. “It’s an odd feeling—kind of like when your arm falls asleep—it’s the same sort of thing. The eye is exceptionally easy to numb because all of the nerves are on the surface.”
Next, he says, the ophthalmologist uses a small device called an eyelid speculum to hold the eyes open. “This is simply so the patient doesn’t have to worry about blinking.” Similar to numbing, this may feel odd, but shouldn’t hurt.
A laser is then used to create a flap on the surface of the cornea before the flap is lifted back. The laser reshapes the corneal tissue. Then, the flap is put back into place. “The whole procedure is very quick,” says Dr. Bajic, “just 10 minutes per eye.”
Patients shouldn’t feel pain during LASIK, but their vision may get cloudy and blurred during the procedure, says Dr. Randleman, especially considering the bright lights used during treatment.
All three experts say a key benefit to LASIK over PRK is recovery time. “Most people see clearly and are able to go about their normal activities the very next day,” notes Dr. Randleman. Still, it’s not unusual for vision to take three to six months to fully stabilize, the same amount of time it does with PRK, wherein someone may experience blurred vision from time to time.
Another common side effect is dry eye. One study in Expert Review of Ophthalmology, found that as much as 60% of people experienced this symptom a month after LASIK. It typically goes away six to 12 months after surgery.
PRK: Recovery May Take Longer
PRK starts the same way as LASIK, with eye-numbing drops. It even uses the same laser, according to Dr. Gicheru. “The main difference is that a [corneal] flap is not created during PRK.” Instead, he explains, the ophthalmologist uses a special solution or a motorized brush to remove between 6 to 9 millimeters of the outer layer of the cornea. The laser reshapes the corneal tissue, and just like with LASIK, the procedure takes about 20 minutes total.
The recovery period is longer than LASIK, which Dr. Bajic says is why LASIK has become more popular. “With PRK, there can be a couple days of discomfort while the eyes heal,” she says, including that this may include blurriness, irritation and sensitivity to light.
In the first one to two days after PRK surgery, it’s recommended to wear special bandages to protect the eyes, she notes. Irritation and discomfort should go away after a few days, although like with LASIK, it can take three to six months for vision to fully stabilize.
