What is PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation?
Previously, PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation was used when patients were not suitable candidates for LASIK; however, PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation is now being used more frequently because studies have shown excellent results and intraoperative safety. Unlike LASIK where the laser is applied to the layer of the eye below a flap made in the cornea, the PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation laser is applied directly to the superficial layers of the cornea. Because there is no flap, the protective superficial layers of the cornea must heal following PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation, and patients require more time to achieve their best vision. In some patients PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation is a safer procedure than LASIK. The outcomes of PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation and LASIK are comparable six months after the procedure. Both LASIK and PRK/Advanced Surface Ablation are performed as outpatient procedures, require only a topical anesthetic eye drops, and take minutes to complete.
