I went in to my consultation thinking that I was going to get Lasik, but the Dr. suggested that I get PRK because I am a police officer and have a chance of trauma to the eye.
I didn't know much about PRK, so I began researching it and have come across very mixed opinions. Some say PRK is better because it's an easier procedure and there is no risk of disturbing the flap. Others have said that there is a much higher risk of scarring of the cornea and for haze.

These are my questions:
1. Does haze go away by itself or does it have to be surgically removed?
2.Can you still wear contacts after PRK if your cornea is a different shape?
3. Does PRK have a higher instance of poor night vision?

My surgery is scheduled for next week, so any insight into these questions would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

1. Does haze go away by itself or does it have to be surgically removed?
2.Can you still wear contacts after PRK if your cornea is a different shape?
3. Does PRK have a higher instance of poor night vision?

1. High myopes are at increased risk of haze. It sometimes goes away, other times vitamin C and mycomin helps.
2. If you are a successful contact wearer, whats the point of laser surgury? If you cant tolerate contacts and hate glasses and get laser surgury, your tolerance for contacts certainly wont improve.
3. Large pupils and high myopia do.

whats your pescription, do you wear glasses? contacts? your reasons for surgury(police officer?) any other reasons

My persription is -3.25/-4.25

My dad got Lasik and is 20/40. He prefers to wear glasses to make everything more "crisp".
In my field, everything must be crips, so if I don't achieve 20/20 then I will probably wear contacts when I work.

If you can tolerate contacts, why get lasik in the first place? Your job requires 20/20 vision and your contacts give you this. Lasik may or may not give you 20/20 vision. No one, not even your surgeon can guarantee this. It sounds like an "all or nothing" scinerio for you. I know people who "must" have 20/20 and still got lasik. Those that fell just shy of that were still wearing glasses or contacts and obviously disapointed. You gotta have relistic expectations for a good chance to be pleased with lasik.

If you experience a lasik complication and can no longer correct to 20/20, youll be unemployed and with impaired vision. Its my opinion that lasik isnt for you. Lasik isnt for me either because ill still need glasses after lasik(but a reduced dependancy). Not only that, it would cause an increase in my mild dry eyes and because my pupils are huge, I wont see so well at night.

I specialize in advanced surface ablations like LASEK. I completely eliminate flap related complications and virtually eliminate dry eye complications. With the retention of the epithelial layer, there is much less discomfort and inflammation. The armed forces do mostly surface ablations for concerns of trauma to the flap and sending soldiers with dry eye out to the desert.
check out www.goflapless.com (Dr. Johnson)

It was my impression that there was less risk involved with PRK, mostly because nothing touches your eye except the laser. Also PRK chews up less cornea then Lasik. If you need to have an enhancement, there is more cornea left to work with.

My doctor told me up front that my night vision wouldn't be great and that I'd probably need some glasses for driving. My night vision isn't great, but fortunately, I can still drive safely without glasses or contacts.

My doctor told me that I could wear contacts lenses if I needed them. Fortunately, I don't, but I could wear them if I had to.

I did develop hazing in both eyes and they had to be rezapped. Heavy doses of vitamin C and a drug called MMC have worked well. My vision is 20/20 in the right eye and 20/30 in the left.

Lastly, if you are nearsighted and you want to fly in the Navy, they will only let you do PRK. They think you get a superior result, despite the longer recovery time.

Hope it all worked out well for you....

Steve

My Dr said today he would prefer to enhance with PRK after waiting to be sure my vision had stabilized after lasik. How long did your vision take to clear after PRK? How much irritation was there?