2 Weeks after PRK

[DGDDS91]

It has been exactly 2 weeks since my PRK surgery. I have to say that my experience overall has been great. I had no post-operative pain at all!!!!! I did not take any prescription pain killers, just advil as directed. I dont even think I needed that, but thought the anti-inflammatory properties would be beneficial. My vision to date is actually pretty good, with some blurriness at far distances, and my close up vision is still not what it was before the surgery. Luckily for me, as a Dentist , I wear surgical telescopes and my vision has not been a factor. I am still on a steroid drop 3x per day and going for weekly checks with the doctor. I do have some light sensitivity issues at times. I have not noticed any halos or hazing after the first week either. I think I am right on schedule with the healing process, and would tell others interested in doing it to go for it!

I would appreciate any comments or tips for my future recovery, and welcome any questions people might have! Dan

[DGDDS91]

It will be 3 weeks tomorrow, since having PRK surgery. So far all is well! My vision is getting better everyday. My doctor has switched me to a low dose steroid drop 3x/day since he says my corneas are healing well. He still sees some haze present, but it is clearing up every week. He feels I am recovering great! I will keep you posted Dan

[LasikExpert]

Your reported recovery is what we hope for every PRK patient. The newer mix of meds, techniques, and technologies are making your PRK experience more likely than not.

Please keep us informed of your progress through recovery.

[DGDDS91]

Hello again!

It will be exactly 4 weeks on monday that I had my PRK surgery. I had another post-op check by my doctor and all seems to be going well. I still have some corneal haze when he looks at my corneas, but he said it is getting better each week and that I am healing well. I feel my vision is pretty good for this stage but certainly not perfect! I am not worried, but I am a little frustrated
that I am still not seeing 100 %.. My doc says to be patient and that it could take up to 6 months for my vision to be at 100%. I know that I will eventually see great, but I am glad my doc is so reassuring. I am still on a low dose steroid 3x a day for the next 3 weeks and systane lubricating drops as needed. My eyes are not really dry anymore, and the light sensitivity has almost all gone away. Overall I am still very pleased with the process and would still recommend it to anyone who is a candidate for it to go for it! I will keep my progress updates coming........... Dan

[LasikExpert]

Keep the reports coming!

Expect changes when you taper off the steroids. The next 4-8 weeks will be the ones to watch (pun intended).

[DGDDS91]

It has been 7 weeks since my PRK and I can see pretty well in my left eye,but my right eye is a bit behind schedule. I cant see very well at distances and close up. I went to the surgeon and he said I appear to be over-corrected at this time in my right eye, probably due to the amount of astigmatism I had originally. He stopped my steroid drops completely, and wants to see me in 2 months to see how my vision is. He expects that it will improve a lot over the next 2 months and that there is a 75% chance that I will not need an enhancement/revision. I am hoping I do not need one and that my vision will become more sharp. Any thoughts on this? Dan

[LasikExpert]

Myopia (nearsighted, shortsighted) PRK correction removes tissue from the center of the cornea (clear front of the eye) to flatten the corneal curvature. The removal of too much tissue will cause the patient to become hyperopic (farsighted, longsighted), which can present with the symptoms you describe. You may want to read about overcorrection.

Steroid eye drops are used to manage and reduce inflammation of the corneal tissue after surgery, but a bit of inflammation is exactly what you need. By suddenly stopping your steroids your doctor is hoping that your cornea will swell slightly, reduce the overcorrection, and resolve your refractive error without the need for additional surgery. This is a reasonable response.

Additionally, the epithelium (soft pliable outermost layer of corneal cells) may thicken over the treated area and contribute to a reduction in your hyperopia. The next 1-2 months will determine how well this technique resolves the problem.

[DGDDS91]

Here is my 10 week update! Just saw the Dr. and I am overcorrected in both eyes. I was -5 in both eyes with astigmatism and now I am +2 in both eyes with virtually no astigmatism! I am now back in contacts that correct me to 20/10 and give me excellent visual accuity. I had to have the contacts since i am a dentist and could not function well with glasses, taking them on and off to work along with surgical loupes. i was told to make an appointment in 2 months to see where my vision is and then be evaluated for a possible enhancement/revision. I have no scarring or haze and my corneas appear normal.

Should I consider the revision or am I taking a risk? I want to know what the chances are of having another over/under correction and of suffering loss of best possible vision, hazing etc? Can I still have some healing that will reduce the over correction?