I think I will stick to my glasses. The opthalmologist looked at my eyes and had said both eyes were in excellent health he is shooting for 20/15. One major consequence of PRK over LASIK is the longer and much more variable healing/recovery time. No, its not crisp, but if this is the vision I had the rest of my life, I would be fine with it happy with it even. Prior to these surgeries, your eye doctor will explain what type and duration of blurred vision to expect. Most importantly, if you decide to go for PRK over LASIK, be mentally prepared to deal with the possibility of dealing with a longer recovery time that may even stretch till 9 to 12 months in the worst case scenario. Do you have another appointment? Read More. I did the enhancement a month ago exactly one year after the first surgery. And so your vision will heal up in different stages. I had my procedure done approximately 2 1/2 months ago in San Jose, CA. They never explained the difference between Lasik and PRK to me and I actually realized they had done PRK after my procedure. Having a small scratch will cause some pain and blurred vision, having a giant scratch will cause a lot more. Its excruciating. I did see the headings and photos and knew I was better off not reading in detail about your horrible experience. In most cases, symptoms clear up within a few weeks; however, some individuals may need up to two or three months before complete resolution occurs. Consult with a doctor virtually or in person. Updated August 2022. Fast forward to 2022. Its been few days that my right eye seems little blurry then the left eye, I can see things little clearer with the left eye but right eye is little blurry. I couldn't read any of it. The Dr. said it is still healing and to be patient. There really is no full disclosure when it comes to listing the risks associated with elective refractive surgery such as LASIK, SMILE, PRK, etc. He laughed. Sounds like a great outcome, doesnt it? Like I could barely keep my eyes open. Posted by Otto Olivier | Eye Diseases | 0. It felt like someone was pouring acid in my eyes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Three to six months to be exact. My prescription before PRK was -3.00 in both eyes and I am 27 years old. This is really the worst stage of recovery after PRK. Irregular astigmatism can potentially occur as well as reduced contrast sensibility, seeing glares and halos, reduced visual acuity, and overcorrection and undercorrection. Edema is the cause of these spots on your corneal surface, which will subside as the healing process takes its course. And on the complete opposite side, my eyes would feel dry later in the day so I would use eye drops at least 4 or 5 times a day. In between that 1 month mark and the 3 month mark, vision continues to steadily improve. It was at my 6 month appt that the doctor finally admitted that I would need a second procedure even though that one didnt work 100% either, but it did help a little. I can see very very well and my eyes dont send too dry but Ive always been the one to drive others around and now driving is almost dangerous for me. Ghosting is usually caused by an epithelial defect. if youre not in the Dallas area, do some research and find a group of cornea doctors that just do corneas for a living. These nerves usually regenerate in the first three to six months after surgery. Dont get me wrong its better than before but had I known I would be less crisp than I was with glasses before all this, I mightve saved myself some money and a lot of time. Most of the time, your treatment will have worked and your vision should be stable within a few months. I had rk about 20 years ago. Check out These Are The Best Eye Drops After Lasik (also applies to PRK) to learn which artificial tear drops work best. Im one month out from my PRK surgery in Knysna, South Africa, and I must say that I thought my recovery has been irritating, but yours seems infinitely worse than mine! Well some of your concerns seem valid. Ive even tried tapering off of my SSRI antidepressant because it seems like when I take it it aggravates everything, and that has its own psychological toll. I found that one eye could see ok between about 100mm to 200mm so if i winked and held my face 150mm from my work, then I could do ok. it has now been nearly 3 weeks, I can get by. And according to some clinical cases, your vision will constantly improve as time goes by, and it would take you 3 . healing and visual recovery take longer because the outer layer of the cornea needs to regenerate itself. My work requires me to look at a screen and I only took one week off work. Sleep then rest as much as possible for the remainder of the day following your surgery. Another complication after cataract surgery is retinal detachment. My husband always had perfect vision and is considering Lasik because he should to wear glasses now. Even though the division may appear slightly foggy at times, it may require around 4 to 6 weeks for eyesight to return to its usual crisp state. i shall be very thankful to you. Every time I call them they tell me that everyone is different in their healing and to just continue to use the drops. The inflammation is trying to respond to the injury the surgeon created. Author has 101 answers and 241.3K answer views 6 y About one month. Detailed, precise vision may be slightly diminished. FlexOffers Affiliate Disclosure Dang Travelers also participates in the FlexOffers affiliate network and uses links within our content to earn a commission. Stages of Recovery Stage 1 - After the procedure has been done, the vision surprisingly clears up within minutes and provides a better view than LASIK. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me and my readers. It was a very painful recovery and regret it every day. Due to the first PRK I have developed Chronic Corneal Erosion. Im not sure if that was case with me but hindsight is 20/20, pun intended. Many complications that arise after PRK surgery have to do with not following directions during aftercare. My eyes had been about -7.5 prior to PRK. But turns out there is another layer in the way called epithelium. I had to get bifocals at the ripe old age of 32. 1. I am still unable to drive at all, and my computer usage is very limited. Do you see floaters that were not there before? I work at a computer all day and have not been able to return to work because of this. If it doesnt work, I will be having that brush technique done however my doc used the back side of a scalpel. I guess its TRUE. Its been painful, its made normal life impossible, and often I wear a patch over my right eye to prevent headaches from the constant blurred vision. Im hoping I just havent healed all the way yet. I also still can not cut an onion for the reasons you say. Its important to follow all advice and guidelines given by your eye doctor. Fortunately this heals up. Blood vessels in the retina can leak, causing fluid to build up and blurring your vision. I am here now, in so much pain, feeling low as never before and as a Graphic Designer the worst thing is knowing I cant work without my eyes. Mine are still so sensitive too! Ten minutes dont go by when I dont feel a deep regret. Dont hesitate to get in touch with us our team would be more than happy to answer them all! Sorry to hear you story.I agree that the percentage of dissatisfaction from prk surgeries is understated .I did mine in 2014 and the recovery was brutal for the first week.The risks and the potential regression that i discovered after the surgery were not discussed by my surgeon.if i come back in time,i wouldnt have done it, considering i has -2 in each of my eyes.After my surgery my right eye is -0.25 and left one is 0.75 eventually i will need glasses again plus i have had dry eyes ever since the surgery. Im so sorry Nina. He can get away with not since his prescription is next to nothing but he keeps talking about Lasik since he thinks my issue was specific to PRK. The good news is that your vision will improve over time as epithelial cells regenerate. I cant drive at night because I have no depth perception. I definitely agree we have to all share so people are aware of whats going on. Oh Kamie, I am so sorry. Oh no, Im so sorry for what you had to endure. I was so tense, uncomfortable, and completely miserable! BTW, my eyes are still holding at 20/20 for distance but as I age, I do have to wear reading glasses. Some patients experience dry eyes, redness, pus, swelling, and fever after PRK surgery. I am just hoping and praying it gets better. I had so much time and energy invested in something I thought was going to take a week! Hi Jess, It is unbelievable how many stories are out there just like us! The doctor told me they could take me in for another go once my eyes stabilize but she said if I was Ok with the glasses she wouldnt recommend it since I started with such a high number the first time. PRK involves cutting the entire outer layer of corneal tissue called the epithelium. It has completely ruined my life. They had not changed since month one which left me with astigmatisms in both eyes that I did not have before the surgery and recommended a PRK touch up. Who do I talk to, to get reimbursed for the prescription because there is NO WAY Im paying for all this again! I still cannot believe how many of us there are and yet no major changes in the field. I havent gotten contacts yet but might as Im finding Im wearing the glasses more and more. I hope I can get a much clearer vision soon so that I can resume work. Wish you a good day. While in the waiting room, the nurse gave me a valium (which absolutely helped with the anxiety) and an anti-inflammatory pill. They put in plugs which has cut down my eye drop usage to 5+ times a day and 2+ times a night so better but still ridicules. I had issues and I highly doubt they were ever recorded anywhere. A cornea transplant (keratoplasty) is a surgical procedure that replaces part of the cornea with donated corneal tissue. Also, my eyes are extremely sensitive and they were never before. Examples include thin corneas, dry eye issues, and irregular corneas. Blurry vision after a vitrectomy is possible and may last for 2 to 3 days. Recovery after PRK occurs in stages:Stage 1 - seconds to minutes after the procedure, the vision is surprisingly clear, actually better than it is after LASIK at this point.Stage 2 - begins about 30-60 min after the procedure, as the numbing drops used during surgery wear off. Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. The first eye, no problems. Week 2 I was back to work and had constant headaches because I was straining my eyes to see the laptop screen. Most patients are able to resume work and other activities within a week, and full recovery and visual improvements should take between 1 - 3 months. My eyes remain dry. I am 46 and had Lasik done about 20 years ago. Chances this will resolve in months to come? Have you been back to the doctors office? Vision in low light/night time is horrible. And suffer the same complications as you. Femtosecond lasers enable epithelial cell regeneration at an accelerated pace; you may even be able to use a special nighttime eyedrop for several months in order to reduce its impact on vision. I hate that you are going through this, I definitely understand. I was so excited and thought this was a great sign. It felt like something was stuck in there and not getting out. My doctor saved my cornea, but the irregular astigmatism was awful. I will give it a few months to stabilize and then I will go get a prescription elsewhere. During the first 24 hours after PRK, its important to rest your eyes. It include things such as spherical aberration, coma, and trefoil. There are also rare instances when patients experience changes to night vision, including seeing halos or glare. Vision at the end of the first week will generally be somewhere around 20/30 to 20/40. Well, only about 40% of people are able to reach the legal driving vision of 20/40 within the first few days after PRK. 2. so I will be trying daily contacts in the near future. However, heres the thing. I waited three long years to share my experience so my eyes could stabilize and I could give you the full outlook. I went to a surgeon who is considered among the very best in Washington D.C. metropolitan area. In fact, by about 3 months, the blurry vision after PRK may almost be entirely gone! Where do you live? How long does it take to get 20/20 vision after PRK? So sorry you are having such trouble. Ill summarize here as this story is getting quite long. Then I was told I needed an Astromal puncture, so I had that done. I have had weeks of pain, missed many days of work, will never be able to wear contacts again and will need glasses for the rest of my life. 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