LASIK & PRK
How does LASIK work?
- A femtosecond laser creates a thin hinged flap in the cornea.
- An excimer laser removes a precisely calculated amount of tissue underneath, reshaping the cornea's focusing power.
- The flap is laid back into position. No stitches.
Because the surface epithelium is largely undisturbed, vision usually recovers within a day or two. That is why LASIK became the default laser procedure.
How is PRK different from LASIK?
Same optical destination, different route. No flap: the surgeon removes the thin surface layer of epithelium, applies the same excimer treatment, and lets the epithelium regenerate over several days under a bandage contact lens.
- Recovery is slower and more uncomfortable in the first week, sharpening over weeks rather than days.
- Long-term vision is equivalent to LASIK.
- Often better for thinner corneas, certain corneal irregularities, and contact-sport or occupational settings where a flap is a liability.
Am I a candidate for laser vision correction?
- Corneal thickness and shape. Topography usually decides it. Subtle irregularity that would destabilise a cornea after treatment is the single most important thing to exclude.
- Prescription size and stability.
- Pupil size and the health of your ocular surface.
- Dry eye gets treated first, because it distorts the measurements and worsens after surgery.
When is EVO ICL a better option than LASIK?
A laser removes tissue and there is a finite amount of it. With thinner corneas, higher prescriptions, or eyes already prone to dry eye, the EVO ICL is often the better answer: it adds a lens rather than subtracting cornea, and it can be taken out.
A great many people told they are not LASIK candidates are excellent ICL candidates. Know that before you accept a flat no. Full comparison: EVO ICL vs LASIK.
LASIK and PRK in the San Francisco Bay Area
I am completing my refractive surgery fellowship at Parkhurst NuVision and offer LASIK and PRK alongside EVO ICL, SMILE, refractive lens exchange and cataract surgery. If a laser is right for your cornea I will say so; see EVO ICL vs LASIK for how that decision actually gets made.
If a laser procedure is not right for your cornea, that is a reason to look at EVO ICL or refractive lens exchange, not a reason to give up on vision correction.
Common questions
Is LASIK permanent? The corneal reshaping is permanent. Your eyes still age, so reading glasses become necessary in your forties or fifties regardless, and a cataract can develop later in life.
Does LASIK hurt? The procedure itself is done with anesthetic drops and is not painful. Most people describe pressure. Some scratchiness and watering is normal for a day afterwards; PRK is more uncomfortable for the first several days.
How long does LASIK take? The laser treatment itself takes well under a minute per eye, with most of the visit spent on preparation and positioning.
What is the difference between LASIK, PRK and SMILE? All three reshape the cornea. LASIK uses a flap, PRK treats the surface with no flap, and SMILE removes a small lenticule through a tiny incision. See SMILE for more.
Can I have LASIK if I have astigmatism? Yes. Modern excimer platforms treat astigmatism alongside nearsightedness and farsightedness within their approved ranges.
Educational information, not medical advice. Discuss your specific eyes with a qualified ophthalmologist.