Font size
FAQ: Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK)
- How do I feel during the procedure?
The procedure itself is essentially painless. Eye-drops will be used to make your eyes less sensitive. You may experience discomfort during the few days after the procedure and the vision may be blurry. It usually improves in a week. We will give you medication to control any discomfort you may have.
- Can I play sports after having PRK?
You can resume most normal activities in 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. However, you should stop swimming for 1 month. Goggles should be worn whenever you swim.
- Do I need to wear glasses after PRK? If so, is it safe to wear contacts?
It may take 6 months or more for you to achieve your best post-operative vision. Most patients do not require full-time glasses or contacts. For patients over forty years of age, they may have to wear reading glasses. Please discuss with your ophthalmologist or optometrist during your examination.
- Is PRK safe?
Just as with any surgical procedure, there are potential complications but these are very rare, and most complications can be properly treated by our doctors. Therefore good vision can still be achieved.
- Will I still have to wear reading glasses?
Presbyopia usually occurs around the age of forty. For some patients, reading glasses are prescribed in order to read fine print even after the procedure.
- What about monovision?
You can choose to reduce the degree of reading difficulties based on a principle called monovision. That is, one eye is fully corrected and the other eye to leave 1 to 1.5 dioptre of myopia, and this will make reading or near vision tasks easier.
The visual difficulties of monovision are most noticeable in low lighting conditions and when performing tasks requiring very sharp vision. Therefore, you may need to wear glasses to fully correct both eyes for distance or near vision when performing visually demanding tasks, such as driving at night or performing occupational tasks requiring very sharp close vision. [add the monovision picture here]
- Is the procedure reversible?
As with most corneal reshaping refractive surgeries, they are not reversible. Once the surgery is performed, the effect is long term. To make sure PRK is right for you, consult your ophthal-mologist.
Back to PRK main 
