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PRK, LASEK Surgery, and EPI-LASIK

LaserVue surgeons strive to provide each patient with the best option for refractive surgery at our offices in the San Francisco area, including San Jose, South Bay, Oakland East Bay, and Santa Rosa. Each patient is individually examined to determine which procedure best fits his or her needs.

PRK (photo-refractive keratectomy), LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis), and Epi-LASIK are all variations of surface ablation procedures using the excimer laser to reshape the surface of the cornea (no microkeratome), rather than the interior, as in LASIK. PRK was the first FDA-approved procedure changing the curvature of the cornea with the excimer laser. The initial PRK procedures date back to 1990.

PRK, LASEK, and Epi-LASIK use the same excimer laser as LASIK and the same Wavefront diagnostic data. With PRK, your LaserVue surgeon will first remove the very top layer of the cornea (epithelium). The excimer laser is then used to reshape the surface of the cornea and the epithelium is allowed to grow back in naturally. With LASEK and Epi-LASIK, the epithelium is moved aside, and then replaced back after surgery.

After surface procedures, patients usually feel some discomfort and experience blurred vision for three to five days after the procedure as the surface layer heals. Most patients resume normal activities within a few days. Additionally, patients are normally placed on a regimen of steroid eye drops for a two-to-four-month period, requiring monitoring by their doctor. Although it can take a few weeks to a few months for patients to fully reach their optimal vision, outcomes for LASIK, PRK, LASEK, and Epi-LASIK are similar.

There are some medical conditions that may make surface ablation procedures more suitable than LASIK. PRK, LASEK, and Epi-LASIK are preferred for people with thin corneas and those with a very steep corneal shape. LaserVue doctors will evaluate and determine which procedure is best for you. We will inform you of the benefits and risks of each procedure, and wish to answer all of your questions to your satisfaction.