What is PRK?

Deborah's sister is a registered nurse. She finished her schooling, her 4th year. She is already got herself doing 12 hour shifts and just 4 days ago she had PRK Laser Eye Surgery. It is an elective surgery, and because she needed very high prescription lenses, she went for this procedure. We have all been helping her with various drops in her eyes, timed precisely, and tonight she just drove home from the hospital in Langley, in the dark... I was very anxious about the success of this surgery, but apparently it is better than Lasic. Her job requires her to wear a mask at times, and wearing glasses also would be a little cumbersome, and they would steam up.
Here is some pertinent information about it:

PRK Laser Eye Surgery: What Is PRK And How Does It Differ From LASIK?

Reviewed by Brian S. Boxer Wachler, MD

PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) is a type of refractive surgery to correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism.
PRK was the first type of laser eye surgery for vision correction and is the predecessor to the popular LASIK procedure. Though PRK recovery takes a bit longer than recovery from LASIK eye surgery, PRK is still commonly performed and offers advantages over LASIK for some patients.
Like LASIK and other types of laser eye surgery, PRK works by reshaping the cornea using an excimer laser, allowing light entering the eye to be properly focused onto the retina for clear vision.

Best Candidates

myopia, hyperopia and/or astigmatism, ineligible for LASIK

• Procedure time: about 10 minutes per eye
• Typical results: 20/20 vision without glasses or contact lenses
• Recovery time: several days to several weeks
• Cost: about $1,500 to $2,500 per eye

The main difference between PRK and LASIK is the first step of the procedures.
In LASIK, a thin flap is created on the cornea with a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser. This flap is lifted to expose the underlying corneal tissue and is replaced after the cornea is reshaped with an excimer laser.
In PRK, the thin outer layer of the cornea (epithelium) is removed and discarded prior to reshaping the underlying corneal tissue with an excimer laser. The epithelium repairs itself (grows back over the corneal surface) within a few days after surgery.
A variation of PRK, called LASEK, also is available. Instead of removing the outer epithelial layer of the cornea as with PRK, LASEK involves lifting the epithelial layer (using a surgical instrument called a trephine), preserving it during surgery and then replacing it on the eye's surface at the end of the procedure.
LASEK has decreased in popularity due to the slower recovery of vision compared with PRK, as the replaced epithelial layer takes longer to recover in LASEK than the growth of a new epithelial layer in PRK.

PRK vs. LASIK

The final results of PRK surgery are comparable to LASIK outcomes, but initial PRK recovery is slower because it takes a few days for new epithelial cells to regenerate and cover the surface of the eye.
There also is a slightly increased risk of eye infection and haziness of vision in the first few days after surgery. LASIK patients generally have less discomfort, and their vision stabilizes more quickly, whereas vision improvement with PRK is gradual and the final outcome can take several weeks.
PRK does, however, offer some distinct benefits. Because PRK surgery does not create a corneal flap (which contains both epithelial and the deeper stromal tissues), the entire thickness of the underlying stroma is available for treatment.
This is of particular benefit if the cornea is too thin for LASIK or if you have undergone LASIK previously and therefore have a thinner residual cornea. There also is no risk of flap complications, and the risk of removing too much of the cornea with the excimer laser is reduced.
 If I was younger and had severe nearsightedness, and the available  finances I may consider it since glasses do cost a fortune. I am about to have a new pair made, with progressive lenses, and it is well over 500 dollars. With insurance coverage it will be manageable, but due to the cost I have been procrastinating changing my lenses and frames for some time. Even an eye exam is close to 100 dollars, not covered by medical. So, my daughter being adventurous has jumped in the water with this surgery. I am so thankful that it is going to work out just fine for her.

I am disappointed however, that we did not get out to see the Christmas musical at the Willingdon church this year. With a family member with blurry vision that night, and I who can't sit long due to my stitches, plus the nearly 30 cm of snow, has prevented us from enjoying the musical highlight of the season. We still may have a white Christmas, but definitely not the amount of snow that we have been enjoying here on the lower mainland.