PRK vs LASIK: The Differences That Actually Matter

The one real difference: how the laser reaches the cornea

Both procedures reshape the corneal stroma with an excimer laser using the same treatment profiles, so the optical result is the same. In LASIK a femtosecond laser makes a hinged flap about 100 microns thick, the surgeon lifts it, the excimer treats the tissue beneath, and the flap is laid back. The surface is intact, which is why vision is clear the next morning. In PRK the surgeon removes the 50 micron epithelium instead of making a flap, the excimer treats the exposed stroma, and the epithelium regrows over four to five days under a bandage lens. Everything else, from recovery to risk profile, follows from that.

Recovery compared

Side by side:

• Day one: LASIK patients usually drive to their check; PRK patients are resting with sore, light sensitive eyes
• First week: LASIK patients are at work with dry eye drops; PRK patients are usually off work until the bandage lens comes out at day four or five
• Weeks two to six: LASIK vision is stable and improving in fine detail; PRK vision clears from hazy to sharp
• Three months: both have reached their final result

Who should choose PRK

PRK is the better procedure, not just an alternative, when the cornea is too thin for a flap plus treatment, when the surface is mildly irregular, when a patient is in a contact sport or occupation where a flap could be displaced, and for some patients with dry eye concerns, after your surgeon reviews your risk. It is also used for enhancements when a previous LASIK flap should not be lifted.

Who should choose LASIK

For an eye that is suitable for both, LASIK's advantage is speed: clear vision within a day and a return to work in one or two, against a week of discomfort for PRK. Most patients with the choice make it on that basis. LASIK also avoids the small risk of surface haze that PRK carries with higher prescriptions.

Safety and long term results

Both are among the most studied procedures in medicine, with excellent safety records in well selected eyes. PRK cannot have a flap complication because it has no flap. LASIK cannot have surface haze because the surface is not treated. Dry eye is usually temporary with both, and your surgeon reviews your risk. Long-term studies show both corrections are stable, with a small minority of patients needing an enhancement over time.

Cost

At Global LASIK & Cataract Institute both are quoted in writing at your free consultation, and your written quote explains exactly what is included. LASIK can be financed at 0% interest for up to 18 months, and 0% interest financing is also available for PRK; the team explains the terms.