PRK, or photorefractive keratectomy, is a refractive surgery that reshapes the cornea with a laser, so the light entering the eye comes into focus on the retina to produce clearer images. The surgery takes 10 to 15 minutes per eye and effectively treats myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.
During PRK surgery, the cornea’s outer layer, known as the epithelium, is removed entirely to expose the surgical area. This differs from LASIK, during which a thin, hinged flap is created in the cornea and carefully repositioned to its original position once the procedure is complete. As with LASIK, PRK surgery uses a computer-guided excimer laser to sculpt the cornea and correct the refractive error.