If you wear glasses or contacts, chances are you've probably at least considered getting LASIK at some point in your life. I wore glasses and contacts to correct my nearsightedness and astigmatism in both eyes for many years. At the age of 27 and with confirmation from my optometrist that my vision had stabilized, I decided there was no time like the present to pursue a life free of corrective vision devices--at least I'd have time to enjoy it before I'm old enough to need reading glasses. So I went to get a consultation, optimistic that I would qualify for the surgery and have perfect vision in no time.
Much to my dismay, the first place I went to did not approve me for LASIK. The reasons were 1) my eyes were apparently too dry and 2) my corneas were too thin. I had no idea that anybody who wore glasses could possibly not qualify for LASIK, and I was devastated. They did, however, bring to light an option for which I did qualify: photorefractive keratectomy (PRK, also referred to as LASEK). You can Google both to find information on the differences, but the main difference is that LASIK creates a flap on your eye, whereas PRK is surgery on the actual surface of your eye. PRK has a longer recovery period (LASIK basically requires no recovery period).
I began to consider undergoing PRK but thought I should get a second opinion just to be sure. Consultations are usually free, and I figured it wouldn't hurt. The second place didn't say anything about my dry eyes (doesn't everyone in Colorado have dry eyes?) but confirmed that my corneas are too thin for LASIK. I gave it some thought and eventually decided to go with the second place for my PRK surgery. They just made me feel a lot more comfortable, and I liked their pricing options better (more on that later).
Pre-Consultation/Pre-Surgery
Prior to both consultations, they asked me to be out of my contacts for seven days leading up to the appointments. For reference, I wore soft toric lenses. The first place I went for a consultation told me I'd need to be out of my lenses for two weeks prior to surgery. The place I actually went for surgery told me one week. Erring on the side of caution, I left them out for two weeks.
The Day Of The Surgery
Before I knew it, surgery day, September 30, had arrived. I was instructed to wear no perfume, jewelry, or facial lotion, as those things can interfere with the accuracy of the laser. Before my surgery, I picked up my two prescription eye drops (one was an antibiotic and one was an anti-inflammatory) as well as some preservative free Refresh Tears. About 20-30 minutes before surgery, they gave me some Valium to help me relax. I was extremely nervous and never even felt it kick in. Right before surgery, they put some numbing drops in my eyes. The surgeon said we would do the right eye then the left eye, and it would take about three minutes per eye. I swear, it didn't even take that long! I didn't feel any pain during the surgery, and when I got up from the table, my vision was perfect. With PRK, they put a contact lens in to protect the surface of your eye after the surgery, which you leave in for five to seven days (until they take it out for you). I was instructed to keep my eyes shut as much as I could for four hours. You will not be able to drive yourself home--shout out to my mom for driving me home and for taking excellent care of me. During the car ride home, the numbing drops started to wear off, and it started to hurt. A lot. It was an intense stinging, and it was a long 30 minutes or so as I waited for my Vicodin to be filled. Once I was home, I laid down on the couch and tried to relax and keep my eyes shut for the whole four hours. I tried to take a nap, but it was hard to fall asleep. I could feel that my eyes were getting very watery, which was to be expected. I had so much drainage that my nose ran like crazy too. Once I opened my eyes, I could again see perfectly. I had to start using my prescription drops and the artificial tears right away. After dinner, I decided to call it a night and get some sleep. I was very sensitive to light, and it was hard to keep my eyes open.
Recovery and Post Op Care
The whole day after surgery was painful. I relied on Vicodin, Ibuprofen, and artificial tears to get me through the day. I also took a nap for a couple hours, which helped. I was still sensitive to light and wore sunglasses around the house. I watched a movie with my mom to relax, although I mostly had my eyes closed and listened. I laid low and went to bed early. Two days after surgery, the pain had subsided, but I woke up with cloudy vision. This was to be expected, as vision can fluctuate for up to six weeks after PRK. The cloudiness lasted all day. Three days after, the cloudiness was still there but had decreased substantially, and it was the first day since the surgery that I felt I could see well enough to drive. I was still sensitive to light. Four days after, I felt well enough to go for a run. They advise you to not get water or sweat in your eyes for at least one week, but since it was a cool fall day, I figured it wouldn't be an issue. Five days after, I went back in for my first post op check. They took out the lenses and checked my vision. I was doing great and had made a lot of progress in just five days. I went in for another post op appointment after two weeks, and though some days had been more clear than others, my vision was overall improving. My vision continued to fluctuate but improve for the next four weeks or so. By my six week post op appointment, the fluctuations had started to decrease, but my vision was not perfect yet. They told me that was ok and that some people just take longer than others. I did still notice drastic improvements over the next couple months. I just had my three month post op and am happy to report that I am seeing with 20/20 vision!
Post op care was the worst for the first couple weeks. I had to use my two prescription drops every four hours, and I used the artificial tears at least every hour. For the first two weeks after surgery, you can only use the single vial preservative free tears. I couldn't rub my eyes or wear any eye makeup for the first two weeks, and I also had to be careful to not get water and sweat in my eyes. Washing my hair was very challenging, and because I couldn't really wash my face, I relied on Simple brand cleansing towelettes to clean my face. It got much easier after that first two weeks, and I only had to keep up with my artificial tears.
Would I Recommend It? What Should You Consider Before Committing?
PRK requires some patience and some time off from work. I am lucky in that I am self-employed and work from home, so taking time off was easy. I had surgery on a Wednesday afternoon and started working again the following Tuesday. I do stare at a computer screen all day, and some work days during the first couple weeks when my vision was a little cloudy were doable but challenging. You also won't be able to drive for a few days. The exact number of days varies from person to person. You will also need to go back in for post op appointments, and if you work Monday-Friday, you'll likely have to leave work for at least an hour a few times over the following three months. Keeping up with the drops is a little tedious, and you have to be cautious with water, sweat, shampoo, etc for a little while, but it's really not a huge deal overall. Because it's very dry where I live, I have had to keep up with the artificial tears up until now, although I have not felt the need to use them nearly as much in the last month. I've cut down from hourly to three or four times per day. Once I was able to wear eye makeup again, I was wearing primarily waterproof mascara for about two months after surgery because with the frequency I was using artificial tears, regular mascara would run.
Cost is also a huge consideration. I would guess that it varies based on geographic location, but where I live, it runs around $3,000 to $4,500. For both of the places I checked out, there was no priced difference between LASIK and PRK. Most places offer financing, and the place I used offered a 5% discount for paying in cash, so be sure to ask about that if you plan to pay the whole thing upfront. The first place I went to only offered one plan, which was a lifetime guarantee. Their pricing did not include any post op care, meaning I would have had to see my regular optometrist and pay him for those post op appointments. The place I chose offered a 10 year guarantee (less expensive) and a lifetime guarantee, and I opted for the lifetime. They also included all the post op care in their pricing, which I really liked. With my insurance, the prescription drops cost me about $30 altogether, but this could vary greatly depending on your insurance. As mentioned above, you also need your preservative free artificial tears, and I highly recommend getting the Refresh Tears brand at Costco for the best deal. These drops will be your best friend.
Am I glad I did this? Absolutely. It is one of the best decisions I've ever made, and I'm so happy. Waking up and not having to deal with glasses or contacts is a godsend, and I am so thankful for my perfect vision. Would I recommend you do it if LASIK is not an option for you? It depends. You have to be ok with the longer recovery and with taking some time off work, but if you can handle those things, I think it's worth it. It's also important to keep in mind that everyone's recovery time will be different. I was told initially that because I'm young, my vision would probably stabilize more quickly than the six week estimate. Well, it turned out that it took me almost three months to see 20/20. It was a bit frustrating at times, but it was definitely worth the wait. I can't put a price on the freedom this surgery has given me.
Thank you for reading, and if you are a glasses or contact lens wearer considering PRK, I hope this was helpful! I would be happy to answer any questions you have--feel free to leave them in the comments.
