What can go wrong with PRK surgery?

While considered safe, PRK surgery is not without risk. Risks include: loss of vision that can’t be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. permanent changes to night vision that include seeing glare and halos.

Can PRK go wrong?

Although the accuracy of refractive surgical procedures is increasing, it is not uncommon to consider retreatment after PRK when there is a residual refractive error such as over/under correction, regression, aberrations and decentration, that interfere with the patient’s quality of life.

Can laser surgery damage your eyes?

Complications that result in a loss of vision are very rare. But certain side effects of LASIK eye surgery, particularly dry eyes and temporary visual problems such as glare, are fairly common. These usually clear up after a few weeks or months, and very few people consider them to be a long-term problem.

Does PRK damage the cornea?

In PRK, the surface layer of the cornea — the epithelium — is scraped away or otherwise removed without cutting a flap. Epithelial cells regenerate over a period of several days after PRK; however, Bowman’s membrane, which plays a vital role in health of the cornea, is permanently destroyed in the ablated zone.

Can LASIK cause blindness?

LASIK surgery itself does not cause blindness, and most cases of LASIK complications are avoidable by following aftercare procedures set forth by your surgeon. If you notice anything out of the ordinary or anything alarming after your LASIK surgery, contact an ophthalmologist immediately.

What is the success rate of PRK surgery?

According to the FDA, the overall success of PRK is around 95%, which means that the high majority of patients who go through PRK experience a notable improvement in the quality of their vision. Out of them, close to 70% tend to achieve up to 20/20 vision, while 92% achieve 20/40 vision or better.

Does cornea grow back after PRK?

The epithelium repairs itself by growing back over the corneal surface within a few days after surgery.