PRK treatment is carried out as an outpatient procedure. PRK stand for Photo Refractive Keratectomy. This technique was once very popular due to its effectiveness in treating myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. The technique is very similar to LASIK, but the keratectomy by microkeratome is unnecessary. The surgeon will gently remove the outer layer of cells (skin) from the surface of your cornea with a hand-held instrument before treating your eye with the laser. You will hear the laser make a faint clicking sound. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and the laser treatment itself is very brief - typically lasting for no more than 45 seconds. It is a more desirable method for patients with a thin cornea.
However, the recovery time of PRK is longer than LASIK and there is a greater risk of infection, corneal haze. Steroid eye drops must also be used for longer time and close observation and checkups are required.
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