Have you had Lasik (PRK) Surgery?

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Jun 23rd, 2017 8:22 pm

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Sep 7th, 2016 8:01 pm

Veeshmack [OP]: Member; Dec 26, 2015; 228 posts; 67 upvotes; Manitoba

Sep 7th, 2016 8:01 pm

Have you had Lasik (PRK) Surgery?

I've been wanting to get lasik for a little while now just because I hate my contacts and don't like wearing contacts all the time.

Last year I went to one treatment center and they told me that I was too borderline to have either surgery done and turned me away.

Today I went to another center and they told me that I was only a candidate for PRK (abrasion method).
I'm looking for feedback on the surgery. Everything I've read (and what they told me) shows that its very painful and uncomfortable and it can take a longer time for your vision to settle.

I just don't know if its something I should really pursue or not as everyone I know had the regular lasik procedure.

12 replies

Sep 7th, 2016 9:27 pm

warpdwhim: Jr. Member; Dec 25, 2006; 181 posts; 83 upvotes; Winnipeg

Sep 7th, 2016 9:27 pm

Before you make any decisions I'd get a third opinion. One clinic says no, another clinic says yes.....this is your sight you're talking about afterall.
I had full lasik done 9 years ago so I can't comment on the abrasion method.

What clinics have you gone to? If you haven't yet, go to Image Plus. It is run by the top opthamologist in Winnipeg. I received nothing but excellent advice and fantastic care when I had mine done there.

Sep 7th, 2016 9:42 pm

Veeshmack [OP]: Member; Dec 26, 2015; 228 posts; 67 upvotes; Manitoba

Sep 7th, 2016 9:42 pm

warpdwhim wrote: ↑
Sep 7th, 2016 9:27 pm
Before you make any decisions I'd get a third opinion. One clinic says no, another clinic says yes.....this is your sight you're talking about afterall.
I had full lasik done 9 years ago so I can't comment on the abrasion method.

What clinics have you gone to? If you haven't yet, go to Image Plus. It is run by the top opthamologist in Winnipeg. I received nothing but excellent advice and fantastic care when I had mine done there.

I went to Image Plus first. Dr Wiens turned me down which is why I'm very hesitant to say yes now to Lasik MD. I don't think there are any other options in Winnipeg other than those 2.

The fact that everyone suggested I see Wiens and he was the one that said I wasn't an ideal candidate is why I'm now leaning away from it and suffering with glasses forever.

Sep 7th, 2016 11:11 pm

supsup89: Newbie; Oct 17, 2012; 6 posts; Surrey

Sep 7th, 2016 11:11 pm

Why were you rejected in the first place?
What's your eye degree?

I had my done in the last Christmas. Be prepared though, you need 3 months to recover. And reading off computer screens and books will be challenging.
After it fully recovered, best money spent.

Sep 7th, 2016 11:36 pm

Veeshmack [OP]: Member; Dec 26, 2015; 228 posts; 67 upvotes; Manitoba

Sep 7th, 2016 11:36 pm

supsup89 wrote: ↑
Sep 7th, 2016 11:11 pm
Why were you rejected in the first place?
What's your eye degree?

I had my done in the last Christmas. Be prepared though, you need 3 months to recover. And reading off computer screens and books will be challenging.
After it fully recovered, best money spent.

Said my cornea was too thin. 2nd place said it was too thin for regular lasik but not PRK.
3 months is tough because my job requires I'm at a computer all day dealing with hi end delicate graphics and interpreting millimeter sized portions of images :/ probably not gonna be an option for me

Sep 8th, 2016 12:48 am

Magoomba: Deal Addict; Nov 22, 2002; 2683 posts; 468 upvotes

Sep 8th, 2016 12:48 am

I did PRK in 2007. Great results. Recovery time for me was only about a week. My prescription ar the time was 2.75 and 3.25.
I also work on a PC 4-6hrs per day
Some people have longer recovery. For example they get to 90% quickly but the last 10% taking 3mths.

My advice is to wait until your prescription doesnt change (I waited 5yrs just to be sure).
And go with the opthalmologist who was done the most procedures.

My Heatware reference:
http://www.heatware.com/eval.php?id=13556

Sep 9th, 2016 8:36 pm

warpdwhim: Jr. Member; Dec 25, 2006; 181 posts; 83 upvotes; Winnipeg

Sep 9th, 2016 8:36 pm

Veeshmack wrote: ↑
Sep 7th, 2016 9:42 pm

warpdwhim wrote: ↑
Sep 7th, 2016 9:27 pm

I went to Image Plus first. Dr Wiens turned me down which is why I'm very hesitant to say yes now to Lasik MD. I don't think there are any other options in Winnipeg other than those 2.

The fact that everyone suggested I see Wiens and he was the one that said I wasn't an ideal candidate is why I'm now leaning away from it and suffering with glasses forever.

I'd stick with Dr Wiens decision. He did mine and my brothers lasik as well as cataract surgery on my mother. I don't think you'll get better advice from anyone else.

Sep 10th, 2016 10:40 am

Veeshmack [OP]: Member; Dec 26, 2015; 228 posts; 67 upvotes; Manitoba

Sep 10th, 2016 10:40 am

warpdwhim wrote: ↑
Sep 9th, 2016 8:36 pm

Veeshmack wrote: ↑
Sep 7th, 2016 9:42 pm

warpdwhim wrote: ↑
Sep 7th, 2016 9:27 pm

I went to Image Plus first. Dr Wiens turned me down which is why I'm very hesitant to say yes now to Lasik MD. I don't think there are any other options in Winnipeg other than those 2.

The fact that everyone suggested I see Wiens and he was the one that said I wasn't an ideal candidate is why I'm now leaning away from it and suffering with glasses forever.
I'd stick with Dr Wiens decision. He did mine and my brothers lasik as well as cataract surgery on my mother. I don't think you'll get better advice from anyone else.

That was my mindset. I'm actually going back to see him next month. They said its not uncommon for people to go back after a year or 2 and get reassessed as the numbers can change your possibly if your eyes were just having a bad/unresponsive day. They just said to make sure I take more time without my contacts before coming in this time

Sep 12th, 2016 1:51 pm

stryder1587: Sr. Member; Sep 14, 2007; 556 posts; 79 upvotes

Sep 12th, 2016 1:51 pm

Because contacts change the natural curvature of your eye a bit, so the measurement is inaccurate if you had contacts in within the past week.

I did PRK, takes about 3 months to get to perfect 20/20. That said, you can see decently after 1-2 weeks (decently being a subjective measurement). I also work in front of a computer screen, and reading text was the hardest, seeing everything else and driving was not an issue. It doesn't mean you can't see the text on a screen, it'll just be uncomfortable to look at, have to strain your eyes and doesn't look clear, but still readable.

Dec 8th, 2016 8:05 pm

burnt69: Member; Oct 6, 2015; 461 posts; 233 upvotes

Dec 8th, 2016 8:05 pm

I recently did a ton of research on this. PRK, performed by way of the transPRK approach, appears to be superior to LASIK in almost all ways possible except for a few days of increased pain, and slightly lower optical quality between days 3 and 5 due to epithelial healing.

PRK doesn't cut into the cornea, so the cornea remains more stable. The optical solution for ablation can be computed with much greater precision under PRK as there is no flap and the variability it introduces. Regenerating the epithelium does not fundamentally alter the optical "system" of the eye, unlike in LASIK where flap remains part of the system and has to interface with the remaining cornea.

Traditional PRK has a longer recovery time due to surface roughness on the cornea with mechanical or alcohol-assisted epithelial removal. transPRK uses the excimer laser to specifically ablate only the part of the epithelium that is actually needed for the corneal ablation. A technology called "SmartsurfACE" appears to have improved that smoothness even further, providing nearly instant optical recovery with PRK. Dr. Lin, one of the developers of the technology, even claims that its possible to use a smartphone immediately after surgery!

Basically there are only 3-4 outfits in Canada with the equipment to do transPRK. In Vancouver, at Pacific Laser. One outfit in Calgary, one in Toronto, and one in Quebec. Using the Schwind Amaris lasers. Hence, I booked with Pacific Laser and will be flying for treatment compared to my local outfit that uses older equipment.

Dec 8th, 2016 8:08 pm

burnt69: Member; Oct 6, 2015; 461 posts; 233 upvotes

Dec 8th, 2016 8:08 pm

BTW, if someone tells you that you're not a candidate for LASIK, take them very seriously. The "math" is pretty clear based on someone's corneal depth measurements.

Jun 23rd, 2017 5:29 pm

GauravK936618: Newbie; Mar 17, 2017; 3 posts

Jun 23rd, 2017 5:29 pm

burnt69 wrote: ↑
Dec 8th, 2016 8:05 pm
I recently did a ton of research on this. PRK, performed by way of the transPRK approach, appears to be superior to LASIK in almost all ways possible except for a few days of increased pain, and slightly lower optical quality between days 3 and 5 due to epithelial healing.

PRK doesn't cut into the cornea, so the cornea remains more stable. The optical solution for ablation can be computed with much greater precision under PRK as there is no flap and the variability it introduces. Regenerating the epithelium does not fundamentally alter the optical "system" of the eye, unlike in LASIK where flap remains part of the system and has to interface with the remaining cornea.

Traditional PRK has a longer recovery time due to surface roughness on the cornea with mechanical or alcohol-assisted epithelial removal. transPRK uses the excimer laser to specifically ablate only the part of the epithelium that is actually needed for the corneal ablation. A technology called "SmartsurfACE" appears to have improved that smoothness even further, providing nearly instant optical recovery with PRK. Dr. Lin, one of the developers of the technology, even claims that its possible to use a smartphone immediately after surgery!

Basically there are only 3-4 outfits in Canada with the equipment to do transPRK. In Vancouver, at Pacific Laser. One outfit in Calgary, one in Toronto, and one in Quebec. Using the Schwind Amaris lasers. Hence, I booked with Pacific Laser and will be flying for treatment compared to my local outfit that uses older equipment.

Which good ones in Toronto?

Jun 23rd, 2017 8:22 pm

Jazmina: Member; Feb 4, 2010; 225 posts; 59 upvotes

Jun 23rd, 2017 8:22 pm

It took me 10 years to get the courage to actually go through it but I got PRK exactly 5 years ago from TLC at U of Waterloo (was not a candidate for Lasik). I've had absolutely no problems except for maybe dry eyes but I had that before the surgery too.

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