PRK SURGERY.

What is PRK eye surgery?

Through research and technologic innovation, it has been discovered that a very specific wavelength of far-ultraviolet light energy will literally vaporize fractional layers of human cells, leaving an incredibly smooth undamaged tissue surface. This precise technology has been named the Excimer laser, and achieves an accurate, computer-directed, surgeon-controlled cornea surgery using this precise cold laser beam. Using cold waves means that the surrounding tissue is not affected. Tissue is vaporized by breaking molecular bonds at the tissue surface.

With the ability to remove tissue, the Excimer laser has been rapidly adopted as a good tool for either therapeutic treatment (phototherapeutic-PTK), or for refractive treatment (photorefractive-PRK) surgery correction.

The procedure involves removing tissue from the cornea of the eye, without first cutting the eye open (making a flap).

Who can have excimer laser PRK surgery?

A candidate for successful PRK should be at least 20 years of age, have an eyeglass prescription which has been stable for at least one year, have healthy eyes which are free from hereditary or acquired diseases and have realistic expectations for laser-refractive surgery and its ability to reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. These guidelines ensure that only those patients for whom laser-refractive surgery is most appropriate will consider proceeding with this treatment.

PRK surgery success percentages:

98% of myopic (nearsighted) patients can expect vision of 20/40 or better within one year. 82% can expect vision of 20/25 or better. These statistics are slightly better for patients with lower levels of myopia and slightly worse for those with higher refractive errors. In a recent survey, 95% of all patients that undergo PRK laser surgery would decide to do it again.
PRK has a ten year history of clinical success. The majority of patients that undergo PRK will find that their final uncorrected vision is similar to what they had with glasses or with contact lenses. Its safety and efficacy have been established by over 300,000 patients treated in approximately 47 countries.

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• excimer laser computer directed
• laser augenoperation tissue saving