What the best surgery type for your eye?

More and more people are interested to undergo eye corrective surgery. Two of the most popular methods to correct vision are LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) and PRK (Photo Refractive Keratectomy). Most people do not know which procedure to choose, as well as which suits them better. The best choice is to consult an Optometrist, and seek his or her opinion depending on your preferences, lifestyle and needs.

Because most people only know about LASIK and very little on PRK, they jump on doing LASIK surgery without knowing the difference. LASIK is not the best choice for everyone. You should be informed about what PRK is, and consider the differences before making your decision. Both procedures are different, although they both result in correction of one’s vision. Compared to PRK, most patients heal a lot faster after undergoing LASIK surgery.

On the other hand, for this with a weak heart, PRK is the better choice. PRK’s process is much simpler and safer where the cornea is scraped off using a brush, and it will then be reshaped with laser. LASIK, on the other hand, requires the surgeon to cut some parts of the cornea to create a flap, re-attach it, followed by the laser procedure. The creation and positioning of the flap has 15 to 20 possibilities of complications.

With PRK surgery, one year down the road even an optometrist cannot tell that you had done a vision corrective surgery. This is because the surgery is done in the cornea, and it fully heals in 4 to 6 months. For those who undergo LASIK surgery on the other hand, the flap can be seen until forever. Although LASIK has less discomfort post-operation, however the mark stays forever. PRK on the other hand, the patient might go through discomfort and need medication to alleviate them, however it will be able to fully heal with no mark whatsoever.

Both PRK and LASIK vision corrective surgeries might sometime require re-treatment for certain patients. The process for LASIK is that the surgeon will have to re-lift the flap, treat underneath it and close back the flap. Sometimes they will have to re-create the flap. For PRK, the treatment is done with a simple touch up on the surface just like the primary procedure.

It is totally up to you if you want to perform LASIK or PRK. It is best to consult an optometrist to ask which procedure suits you the best. Those who want fast recovery should go for LASIK, but those who are squeamish, as well as does not want to have a micro-mark should go for PRK.