PRK yay or nay?

[crich]

What do the Roksliders say!?

Im tired of glasses! My eyes get sensitive to contacts after a day or two of wearing them so for the past 10 years I've exclusively worn glasses.

I can get PRK for free through the military but it seems to be 50/50 when I talk to people who have had it whether or not they're having long term dry eye issues or are now back in glasses anyway.

Also curious about how it will affect all the early recipients who will be getting cataracts and/or other cornea related conditions in the next 10-20 years as they age.

For guys who have had it what has your long term experience been?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

had it january 2009, my vision is still 20/15. It hurt like heck, but i'd do it again in a heart beat rather than wearing contacts or glasses. Combined with abnormally large pupils and light colored iris, the surgery did make my eyes light sensitive, i wear sunglasses a much higher % of the time than anyone else I know. totally worth it IMO.

 

[Dawg In Montana]

I had it about 10-12 years ago and would do it again. I’m starting to wear glasses but just turned 53 and I attribute it to that rather than anything with the surgery. It wasn’t that bad of a recovery and the vision improvement was life changing. No problems for me after the surgery and no dry eyes or anything.

 

[rickyw]

Had it 7 months ago. Excellent vision now.
Light sensitivity was bad for me. On a bright day I still get a bit sensitive. Steroid drops and sunglasses really helped. No issue with dry eyes. Next week I go on my first hunt without glasses. Very excited for that

 

[onlybrowning]

I had it December 2009. Got as good as 20/10 a few months post surgery and stayed that way for many years. If I let myself get dehydrated my eyes get dry, especially overnight. My left eye is still 20/20 and my right is down to almost 20/25, which bothers me a lot since my vision was so great for so long. It bothers me most trying to shoot my bow. I have an astigmatism in both eyes, but it is worse in the right.


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[Dos Perros]

Is PRK the same as lasik? I only know two hunters who've had lasik and both are back in corrective lenses. One is maybe 60 years old the other 35.

 

[Clarkdale17]

PRK was some of the best money I've ever spent. It's amazing waking up and being able to see. Haven't had any issues with dry eyes, however my eyes do seem more sensative to light as others have said. I just wear sunglasses more often.

Free PRK would be a no brainer for me as I've told people multiple times I'd pay to have it done every year if I had to.

 

[wyosteve]

I had PRK done in Canada in 1997. Last vision test was still 20/20 and 20/15. I just recently started using reading glasses which any laser surgery won’t correct.

 

[rickyw]

Is PRK the same as lasik? I only know two hunters who've had lasik and both are back in corrective lenses. One is maybe 60 years old the other 35.

LASIK creates a flap in the outer cornea and then they reshape the eye. PRK they rub the outer layer away and then reshape. With prk the outer layer grows back without the risk of dislocating the flap if you get hit in the eye, which can happen with lasik. But that’s what makes the recovery more difficult

 

[Dos Perros]

LASIK creates a flap in the outer cornea and then they reshape the eye. PRK they rub the outer layer away and then reshape. With prk the outer layer grows back without the risk of dislocating the flap if you get hit in the eye, which can happen with lasik. But that’s what makes the recovery more difficult

Is the vision change risk equal between the two methods?

 

[cornfedkiller]

Had epi-lasik (essentially the same as PRK) done in 2010 or 11. Vision is still 20/13. Like @onlybrowning, my eyes are a little dry first thing in the morning if I get a little dehydrated.

May still end up needing reading glasses later in life, but as mentioned above, that has nothing to do with the laser correction..it's because your lens gets stiffer and wont focus as closely.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Had PRK in 2015. Was 20/10 for a while. 20/15 now. I’m military so only option they allowed at the time but glad I did it. I was about 20/80 un corrected so my reshaping wasn’t as severe and recovery was fast.

No regrets.

 

[crich]

Totally expecting reading glasses in the future since thats a muscular thing. Seems the consensus on here is favorable. I know several who have had the procedure done and are back in glasses within 3 years. They also had it done in their early to mid 20s. I think long term dry eye issues have a lot to do with how well you follow the recovery protocols with using drops like you're supposed to. That's my assumption at least. Even still a little dryness first thing in the morning doesn't sound too bad opposed to dealing with wearing specs.

 

[racerman56]

No regrets here three years later.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Received army PRK at 23 loved it! At 34 my astigmatism in one eye is causing some blur so I rock glasses now for that eye. I could get it again, but probably won’t

 

[KurtR]

My son just got it last fall no more loosing glasses and he has been very happy with it. First few days he said it was sore but well worth it

 

[cornfedkiller]

I know several who have had the procedure done and are back in glasses within 3 years. They also had it done in their early to mid 20s.

Had there vision been stable for a while before that? I had mine done in my early 20s as well, but my prescription hadn't changed in many years.

Also, I don't know how the military does it, but the place that did mine said they would do free "touch-ups" for the rest of my life.

 

[rickyw]

Is the vision change risk equal between the two methods?

Couldn’t say for sure. My understanding is the only real difference between the two is how they get to the area they are going to reshape (cut a flap or shave off a layer, then reshape)

 

[crich]

Had there vision been stable for a while before that? I had mine done in my early 20s as well, but my prescription hadn't changed in many years.

Also, I don't know how the military does it, but the place that did mine said they would do free "touch-ups" for the rest of my life.

They require a year of stable vision.

 

[crich]

LASIK creates a flap in the outer cornea and then they reshape the eye. PRK they rub the outer layer away and then reshape. With prk the outer layer grows back without the risk of dislocating the flap if you get hit in the eye, which can happen with lasik. But that’s what makes the recovery more difficult

All I can picture is a guy about to get punched in the face screaming "No not my eye flap!!!"