Disclaimer

This website is only for basic information. It is not to be considered medical advice or a substitute for obtaining your own medical consultation, during which you will be informed also about possible risks, side effects and restrictions of refractive & cataract surgery. Not all treatment options are approved or offered in every country and approved labeling and instructions may vary from one country to another. This site is also not intended for patients and healthcare providers residing in the United States of America and Japan.

Treating refractive errors

PRK for astigmatism

Can PRK treatment improve your vision?

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PRK can be used to correct the three most common types of refractive errors: near-sightedness (myopia), far-sightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. With an astigmatism, your cornea has an irregular, more oval shape which distorts and blurs your vision at various distances. It is a common condition that can cause eye strain or headaches when concentrating for longer periods, such as driving or extended screen work. Astigmatism can also affect your depth perception, making it difficult to judge how far objects are. And you may also experience halos or glare when looking at lights, particularly at night.

Although astigmatism can be partially corrected with glasses or contact lenses, many patients turn to laser vision correction as longer-term option to treat the condition. Read on to find out more about PRK surgery and how far it can correct astigmatism.

The PRK surgery procedure

How PRK corrects astigmatism

Before any surgery takes place, your doctor will examine your eyes and perform a series of tests to ensure PRK is the right choice of laser vision correction for you. They will also explain the risks and benefits of the procedure, so you can make an informed decision.

If an eye is affected by astigmatism, the cornea has a more rugby ball shape with different curvatures in different directions. During the PRK procedure, your surgeon uses an excimer laser to sculpt your cornea’s tissue. The aim is to make the cornea more spherical like a football, thereby correcting the irregularities that cause astigmatism.

Find out more about the individual steps involved in the PRK procedure.

Limits of PRK for astigmatism

Does my prescription, eye condition and general health make me suitable for PRK vision correction?

The PRK procedure is suitable for most regular degrees of astigmatism up to 6.00 dioptres. However, if your prescription is outside this range or if your astigmatism is caused by certain corneal ectatic disorders including keratoconus, keratoglobus or pellucid marginal degeneration, you are most likely not a suitable candidate for PRK.

PRK is not an option if you are under 18 years of age, have unstable visual acuity, are pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition to the corneal ectatic conditions mentioned above, you cannot be considered for PRK if you have the other eye diseases, such as glaucoma, cataract or retinal disease. This is also true if you are taking immunosuppressive drugs or suffer from other illnesses, such as diabetes, hepatitis C, herpes, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Your eye doctor can advise you on your options and suitability for PRK, based on your individual health and circumstances.

TransPRK (Transepithelial PhotoRefractive Keratectomy) is a similar procedure to standard PRK. Both procedures follow the same steps to correct your vision. However, during the standard PRK, the corneal epithelium is dissolved away using alcohol solution whereas during the TransPRK procdure, your surgeon removes the epithelium layer using excimer laser.
PRK, LASIK and Lenticule Extraction with ZEISS SMILE have proven to be safe and effective procedures to correct astigmatism. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. PRK procedure may be more advantageous for patients with thinner corneas than LASIK. However, the corneal healing after PRK is usually longer than after LASIK. Lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE is an advanced laser vision correction procedure with fast recovery times and without flap-related complications. You should talk to your doctor to determine which procedure is best for you.
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