Does PRK hurt?
PRK does not hurt at the time of surgery. Going through the operation is entirely pain-free.
PRK is a fairly quick procedure. It’s just one step with one laser. In most cases, we can do the entire procedure as a laser-only procedure called Trans PRK. This alleviates the effects of alcohol and scraping involved with traditional PRK – also known as LASEK. For more information read our blog post “How does PRK Work?”
Where PRK really differs from LASIK is in the recovery. Once the anesthetic drops wear off, which we use to make the eye completely numb during surgery, most patients will become quite sensitive.
The eye will feel gritty; it will sting and be quite irritable. This usually lasts for two to three days until the surface of the eye completely heals. Of course, we can manage any discomfort you might experience with pain medications. Some patients can get through recovery with very little discomfort. Sometimes, your pain sensitivity may play a part in how you experience the after-effects of PRK. Because of this, many people choose to have LASIK, despite the results of both procedures being practically identical.
If you would like to learn more about laser vision correction and understand which treatment will be most appropriate to free you from glasses and contact lenses, book online for a free laser vision assessment.
