How Does PRK Work?
PRK may be the appropriate treatment for patients who are not good candidates for LASIK. If your eyes cannot bend the light correctly, the cornea must be reshaped to function correctly, focusing light on the retina. Patients with thinner corneas are often a candidate for this vision correction treatment, as an alternative to LASIK, as far less of the eye structure is removed during the procedure.
What is Epi-LASIK? Should I Get PRK?
If you have dry eyes or thin corneas and want to have refractive surgery to correct your vision, PRK may be a good choice for you. Patients with an extremely active lifestyle or job may be better treated with PRK than with LASIK, as PRK does not require the creation of a flap, which for active people poses a minor risk of becoming dislodged, requiring additional treatment to resolve.
Is PRK Right for Me?
At Pacific Vision Institute in San Francisco, our advanced diagnostics will allow us to determine which vision correction procedure will achieve the best results in your case. Those who have dry eyes or thinner corneas may require PRK to correct vision, rather than LASIK.
Who is a Candidate for PRK?
The first step in determining the right procedure to correct your vision is a full range of diagnostic testing, and a review of your medical history.
- 18 years or older
- Stable glasses prescription, for at least one year
- Healthy corneas and eyes overall
Some patients will require an alternative to PRK for vision correction, including:
- Those whose vision continues to change
- Patients with a health condition that could affect healing
- Patients who scar easily
- Patients who are suffering advanced glaucoma
- Those with cataracts (must be treated first)
Had my PRK done here and the results were nothing but amazing. The staff went above and beyond to make everything go smoothly. I would definitely recommend my friends and family K.I.
What is Epi-LASIK?
The epithelium is the most outer layer of your cornea. It is an important part of the eye structure that acts as a barrier, protecting the eyes against fluid loss or the penetration of pathogens. In Epi-LASIK, this area of the eye is protected. A flap is created with a specialized surgical tool, a microkeratome, that has been customized to carefully lift this part of the eye.
Epi-LASIK may be performed to preserve the epithelial cells so that part of the eye will adhere to the structure once replaced. Depending upon the condition and need of the patient, the epithelium may be removed during the procedure.
Correcting Your Eyesight: Pacific Vision Institute in San Francisco
Our goal is to provide the individual with a customized surgical procedure that is appropriate for the patient’s unique eye condition. After a full set of diagnostic tests, including digital eye mapping, we will advise you of the procedure that will be most effective for your case, which may be PRK or Epi-LASIK for certain eye conditions.
Vision Correction Surgery: What Procedure is Right for You?
At Pacific Vision Institute, we offer a wide array of advanced diagnostic tools in choosing the most effective vision correction treatment for the individual patient. Some patients are determined to be candidates for PRK or Epi-LASIK rather than other forms of vision correction surgery.
Dry Eyes and PRK or Epi-LASIK Patients who have dry eyes may not be candidates for LASIK and can be treated with PRK or Epi-LASIK.
As far less of the cornea is removed, this procedure is also considered safer for some professions, such as police officers, members of the military, or others who are at a higher risk being hit in the eye as the surgery does not involve the creation of a flap, which poses a risk of being dislodged in an impact. Not only your eyes will be evaluated – your lifestyle comes into play when choosing the most effective treatment for vision correction.
Why Choose Pacific Eye Institute in San Francisco?
If you need vision correction, you want confidence that your eye specialist is highly-skilled, respected by his or her peers, and offers every form of advanced vision correction surgery. At Pacific Vision Institute, we are proud to be the clinic where other eye doctors come for treatment, along with CEOs, celebrities, elite athletes, and industry leaders from the Bay Area and other places in the US and worldwide. We perform a full and comprehensive evaluation of your eye structure with a range of advanced diagnostic tools to ensure your treatment produces excellent results.
Schedule a Consultation
Send us a message to schedule an in person consultation at our office in San Francisco.
Schedule