Youre not so young healing of our body is worsening as we get older, and risk for complications arises! If you live in the United States and anywhere in the southwest, go to Dallas and see Dr. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As you get to the one month mark, things will heal up a lot more but it is still normal to have some degree of blurred vision. Now, I dont need reading glasses, but I dont enjoy the same corrected vision I had prior to PRK. 2. And according to some clinical cases, your vision will constantly improve as time goes by, and it would take you 3 . You may be asking yourself why a travel blogger is writing a health-related experience on her travel website. Blurry vision after a vitrectomy is possible and may last for 2 to 3 days. Vision is still not as clear (crisp) as it used to be when I wore glasses. This is really the worst stage of recovery after PRK. Problem with street and car lights in night. Take my comments here with a grain of salt as I am not a doctor. Even i can't look at them directly. Ive learned an important lesson: Dont ask or listen to other peoples experiences because everyone reacts differently to procedure and pain. The success rate of PRK continues to improve as technology advances. Im so sorry to hear about your results. I felt like it was never quite as crisp after than it was with contacts but not enough for me to notice a whole lot to wear I had an eye exam. I had originally driven there from Cape Town (about a 350 mile drive) to get LASIK as they said Id have no issues driving home the next day (testimonies from friends as well confirming this), but about 15 minutes before the procedure, they said that PRK was far safer for me to get because of the shape of my astigmatisms, so I consented and stayed a few more days in the area. My vision was way better than before the procedure but still blurry. I also like to share my PRK surgery story. Vision is still not as clear (crisp) as it used to be when I wore glasses. Medicaid: Eligibility and Vision Benefits. for a week i couldnt even consider driving and could just barely get through the work I needed to do. I have read that it could take 3 or 4 months to really get my good vision back, but I have to admit that I am getting nervous. All those things are just something I used to enjoy and now will probably be selling pay for anything that would help restore my vision and take away the pain. In other words, the farsighted contacts failed with flying colors and neither me, my ophthalmologist or my eye surgeon could make any guess as to why this was happening. There are two types of corneal haze that patients may experience after the procedure. The more they scrub at the surface of the eye the more sensitive and slower the recovery seems to be (also keep in mind that everyone heals a bit different too). Pain and discomfort are the most common side effects associated with PRK surgery. In the last few months ut is become do bad at night such that i cant open my eyes. Author has 101 answers and 241.3K answer views 6 y About one month. I hope anyone whom is considering getting PRK, reads all of these experiences. One feared issue with PRK is the development of haze. Femtosecond lasers enable epithelial cell regeneration at an accelerated pace; you may even be able to use a special nighttime eyedrop for several months in order to reduce its impact on vision. Our goal is to highlight amazing locations,share our journeys andpost our favorite travel resources. Is this normal?? I have myopia of -8.50 and -7.50 (Im 23 y/o) and I was told that PRK and ICL are my only options. How Long Do You Have to Wait After Cataract Surgery to Play Golf? I am in my late 30s. I had two friends and they went to different doctors and theirs were the same. I know I still have about 4.5 months to go but I will probably end up just getting glasses at the end if the vision doesnt stabilize in the future mostly due to how awful and painful the procedure was. At this point, I thought the PRK recovery wasnt too difficult. LASIK has little downtime with only a day or so for recovery whereas PRK is much longer. I slept off and on for most of the first two days with mild discomfort here and there. So, just to sum up my far distance vision gor corrected, no complaints, but at what price?! Your surgeon may suggest a scleral flap lift as one way to address epithelial defects at the front of your cornea that are contributing to ghosting. Im one month out from my PRK surgery in Knysna, South Africa, and I must say that I thought my recovery has been irritating, but yours seems infinitely worse than mine! I expect my photosensitivity will last for quite a while longer. Lets find out. I mean after all that was the purpose of it. C) I used for 1 month dexamethasone drops.Week1 4drops Week2 3drops Week3 2 drops Week4 1 drop.Was it enough ? Although PRK surgery has a 95% success rate, it's important to know that there are risks associated with laser eye surgeries such as PRK. The appointment was quick. At my eye appointment, I asked why I had blurry vision 6 months after PRK. Theres no way I would have had the procedure if I had just known the basicsthat a month of recovery was typical, not the exception, and, as your blog demonstrated, complications should not be discounted. If I dart my eyes quickly I can get my eyes to sting. In fact, the vision can get slightly worse in the first few days as the irregular margins of the healing epithelium start to grow into the center of vision. And again, I felt like my eyes were MUCH BETTER yet still not perfect. Just like the question, I woke up this morning some eye pain. Ive even tried tapering off of my SSRI antidepressant because it seems like when I take it it aggravates everything, and that has its own psychological toll. Blurred vision after cataract surgery can also be caused by a problem called PCO, or posterior capsule opacity. The first one was taken on both eyes at age 21, I had 1.25 & 1. I had PRK in June 2020. PRK cons. I followed all directions and went in for follow-up appointments as directed. I wanted to share because it kills me to still pay for eyewear after paying so much for the surgery. Book now for $1000 off + learn how to pay $99/mo, How to Prevent Side Effects & Complications, Main Complications of Photorefractive Keratectomy and Their Management, Risk Profiles of Ectasia After Keratorefractive Surgery, Ectasia After Photorefractive Keratectomy, Twelve-Month Outcomes of the Wavefront-Optimized Photorefractive Keratectomy for High Myopic Correction Compared With Low-to-Moderate Myopia, Comparison of Clinical Outcomes of LASIK, Trans-PRK, and SMILE for Correction of Myopia. I could smell it, too. A few minutes later, I was led into a surgical room. If we look at someone treated with PRK and someone treated with lasik, objectively their vision is finally equal 3 months out. Looking back, I would have done things differently. I would ask myself am I going to have long-term light sensitivity after PRK for the rest of my life? Ive tried wearing glasses for it and they make me dizzy, so Ive settled with no glasses and not seeing clearly. Read here what others are saying on the PRK Recovery Reddit thread. Today, my vision is still blurry but when I wear that same pair of nonprescription cosmetic lenses, my vision sharpens and becomes more crisp. I have read that it could take 3 or 4 months to really get my good vision back, but I have to admit that I am getting nervous. 2. LASIK vs. PRK: Which Laser Eye Surgery Is Right For You. I am confident in driving with my blurry eyesight, and even back then i was as well. Worst decision I ever made was to have PRK surgery and to believe the 10 recovery crap! I await your response and thank you for sharing your experience. TBH, I got the procedure pretty much for cosmetic reasons, not wanting to wear super strong glasses. I was cursing during the whole process literally cursing out loud at the pain while I was laying on the table. Stages of Recovery Stage 1 - After the procedure has been done, the vision surprisingly clears up within minutes and provides a better view than LASIK. However, vision should improve greatly by one month after the procedure. Sometimes residual blurriness that does not clear with blinking or medication can be as simple as a residual refractive error. Hey, Im 10 months post PRK and i have severe dry eyes. LASIK and PRK are two commonly performed eye surgeries that correct vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. This should be read by anybody who is considering this procedure. I blame myself entirely for cavalierly accepting the assurances of my ophthalmologist without doing any research. Some patients experience dry eyes, redness, pus, swelling, and fever after PRK surgery. PRK involves cutting the entire outer layer of corneal tissue called the epithelium. Our patients often find their vision is slightly blurry for the first few weeks following their PRK procedure surgery. Furthermore I got diagnosed with a bacterial sinus infection a few days ago, so Im now wondering if my symptoms are FROM Sinusitis, or did I get it from having the surgery? I had PRK 3 days ago. Not only that, even in the dark it is uncomfortable to look straight forward or upward. The doctor said, I should be have been recovered already & that perhaps its due to dry eyes. Oh wow Lisa, what a long road. My eyes had been about -7.5 prior to PRK. Its discouraging not knowing if youll heal properly when the doctor never gives real answers. Also, I get glare from light entering the windows, from overhead lights in my office. I wish I would have read this story before I had PRK surgery. I had my procedure done approximately 2 1/2 months ago in San Jose, CA. As the more open your lids are (i.e. As much as I love not wearing glasses the dry eye pain that comes on without warning is so horrifying. Beware if you have an astigmatism, and or strong prescription because you will need further adjusting which leaves more room for error. I was thinking how many days do i need to take off from my job? Supposedly, the procedure time, result, and cost are the same with both procedures. I also have a desk job that requires 8 hours of computer use everyday in the office. My vision is spectacular. [Read more about corneal transplant surgery.]. I cant imagine how I lived for the past 6 weeks because I cant see! My vision was -8.5 in both eyes. I know I have a while yet to heal, but I feel really desperate. The rest of the week my vision would come and go. The initial phase of healing after PRK surgery is essential for its success. My vision in dim lighting isnt good either, as if its a bit more dark. I could have written this article , I had a very similar very difficult recovery. Posterior Capsule Opacity (PCO) is another common complication that can occur when a cloudy layer of scar tissue forms behind the lens implant. I was -5.75 in both eyes. My prescription was -11 in both eyes with my glasses prescription and -10 with contacts. Discomfort after surgery is minimal, and vision recovery usually takes place in 1 to 2 days. Drawbacks of the PRK procedure include a longer recovery time due to the fact that the outer corneal layer will need to regenerate itself, which takes time. i had lasix and had no problem at all after. He did my cornea transplant in 2001. It will blur your vision, so put it in right before bed Run the tube under hot tap water for 20 seconds to thin it out Use the smallest possible amount just inside your eyelids Artificial tears in the morning may help wash it out Wash you face normally help remove it from your eyelids Punctal plugs: this sounds scary, but is super easy. Being ignorant of the prk procedure, I just assumed I would have great visual acuity the day after surgery, just like with IOL Not until after the procedure, however, did I learn (my fault entirely) that I should expect up to a month of blurred vision. Then I was told I needed an Astromal puncture, so I had that done. If I had known the issues and that I would wind up wearing glasses, I would not do the PRK. 20/40 isnt that bad. Before LASIK I was about -8 in both eyes and thin cornea. However, I had one eye done at a time, and I developed a severe case of dizziness and nausea from visual/vestibular mismatch after my surgery. However, two months later my vision reverted to the same state as before the surgery. I sure hope your symptoms subside as time goes on. And it works better for low to moderate farsightedness than high. I really hope my eyes dont continue to get worse again. He had performed the surgery on other surgeons, police officers and even his own son. Posted by Otto Olivier | Eye Diseases | 0. Still cant see clearly and will not drive at night or during the rain. Page published on Monday, January 4, 2021. I can see better than before but the blurriness annoys me. Please keep us posted! And is it only in the eye you had the touch up done in? My vision now is 20/70 without glasses. I carried through. I chose PRK because I am a heavy eye rubber and was terrified that Id rub the flap off. It was a very strange feeling and I felt some pressure and heat, but it did not hurt at all. Going from a -6 and -6.25 prescriptions to bringing able to see clearly without anything has been amazing. So when my distance vision started getting a little blurry, I went back to the same surgeon. Answer: the front desk can leave a note for your doctor. But being so affected seems indeed to be quite rare. On the day of my surgery, I arrived with my contacts out, no makeup or lotion in comfy clothes, with a driver (my husband), and with the prescriptions, we picked up beforehand. I waited a LONG time and finally feel like my eyes stabilized. I used to love travel but I cant imagine going to places like Iceland again because I would never be able to see it again like I did when I had gone before. Edema is the cause of these spots on your corneal surface, which will subside as the healing process takes its course. The first week was still tough with being tired and all the eye drops but by the second week I was already back on the computer. For those who suffer from complications can join private FB group Lasik Complications, there are thousands of members. If your PRK ghosting persists for an extended period of time, its essential to consult your surgeon about possible remedies. 7 weeks in from Monovision PRK and I regret doing it. I would not go as far to say it was easy, but it was definitely an improvement which leads me to believe the brush technique is a better option. Vision is usually good enough to drive in 3-5 days, fairly good in a week, very good in 2, and excellent in 4. Cant describe the pain and the medication Ive had to take. Benefits of the PRK procedure include less risk of overcorrection. I couldn't read any of it. Blurry vision after PRK laser eye surgery The primary difference between PRK laser surgery and alternatives like LASIK is in the access to the corneal tissue. I can assure you, and so can all the other people who have commented that these issues are indeed real and not psychosomatic effects. Is this normal? He said everything looked okay and to just rest and keep up with the drops as directed. These two different measurements are called lower-order aberrations and can easily be corrected with glasses and surgery because they are symmetric and regular. Wasnt that tough, to be honest. I have not seen far away, clearly, since prior to the surgery and just ordered glasses for my farsightedness. It has been nothing but hellacious, beginning as soon as The numbing drops wore off after surgery. I couldnt see well to drive at night but I thought that was just because I was getting older. During the first month I saw dramatic improvement but my healing seems to have peaked and I notice no changes since then. I hate that you are going through this, I definitely understand. When I read your story it seemed like were relating my experience exactly. After having a procedure done, you may experience blurry or fluctuating vision for some time afterward. Then a cornea transplant because I had damaged my cornea. for about 5 days i couldnt see a thing. As the epithelium continues to become smooth again, the vision continues to sharpen up over the course of the rest of the week. I will give it a few months to stabilize and then I will go get a prescription elsewhere. Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a form of laser eye surgery that is intended to correct an individuals vision. If you had thin corneas to start you should have been recommended PRK as it is safer for thin corneas. 9 months in Nightly ointment. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 5. I did recently buy two pairs of glasses and one pair of prescription sunglasses for under $100 online!! Chances this will resolve in months to come? 8 month update I went to my ophthalmologist and he stated that I now have +4 farsighted in both eyes with astigmatisms. I am literally considering suicide as an out from the pain. It was at my 6 month appt that the doctor finally admitted that I would need a second procedure even though that one didnt work 100% either, but it did help a little. My short distance vision crispness is sh**, I got various inflammation problems, the well-known dry eye after prk surgery, I got haze complication. I used the numbing drops accordingly and the prescription pain meds but nothing helped. Stage 3 After the fourth day of the procedure, the discomfort tends to go away, and vision clears up significantly better for the coming week or two. It was recommended that exercise should not be picked up again for at least a week, but I didnt feel comfortable with that for at least three weeks. Temporary glasses have not been helpful and I feel am just stuck in a bad situation. Ive never heard of the disc method but it sounds promising as far as complications go which would be great. Im 2 years post PRK and my eyes are better, but will never be normal again. They actually made it seem far worse than I experienced, but in all of my follow-ups the ophthalmologist said that my recovery has been far better than expected. I have had the prk surgery and it was done by a close friend who is a Dr. Im writing this for anyone who is thinking about it. Im so sorry Jennifer. 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