PRK Surgery Step-by-Step

Step 1

• The eye is anaesthetized using drops.
• An eyelid spreader is used to keep the eye open.

• A small metallic ring is placed and centered on the surface of your eye.
• A few drops of 20% alcohol are then put in that ring for 20 seconds in order to weaken the skin-like surface layer of the cornea (epithelium).
• The alcohol is removed with a surgical sponge and the ring is removed.
• The loose epithelial cells are brushed off to expose the underlying layer of the cornea.

• The ophthalmologist will ask you to stare at a green flashing light. The light will appear blurred and irregular like a cloud. Try to stare at any point in the centre of this cloud.
• The laser is aligned and centred on your eye under the laser microscope and the position of your pupil recorded by the eye tracking system.
• The Eye Tracker allows the laser to follow the micro-movements of your eye during surgery to maintain good alignment of the treatment.
• If your eyes moves outside the tracker zone, the laser stops automatically. Once the ophthalmologist is able to achieve a good re-alignment, the laser is reactivated and picks up the treatment exactly where it left off.

• The computer-assisted Excimer laser vaporizes tissue layers and precisely sculpts the cornea according to the planned correction.
• You will experience no pain during the laser treatment.
• The rapid pulsations of the laser make a buzzing noise.
• The vaporized cells form a sort of smoke releasing a distinctive odour akin to burning hair.
• The laser correction takes less than 30 seconds, depending on the amount of correction.

• The ophthalmologist uses cold saline solution to irrigate the treatment area. You may feel the liquid draining out of the side of your eye.
• A soft bandage contact lens is inserted on the exposed cornea to protect the surface while the epithelium regenerates. This lens will be removed 4-5 days after surgery.
• The eyelid spreader is gently removed.