{"id":32952,"date":"2023-03-05T11:45:45","date_gmt":"2023-03-05T10:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drvincentqin.be\/?page_id=32952"},"modified":"2025-12-09T18:09:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T17:09:01","slug":"pkr-surface-refractive-photokeratectomy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.drvincentqin.be\/en\/laser-vision-correction\/pkr-surface-refractive-photokeratectomy\/","title":{"rendered":"PKR : Surface refractive photokeratectomy"},"content":{"rendered":"

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PKR : Surface refractive photokeratectomy<\/span><\/span><\/h2> <\/span> <\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]Surface refractive photoablation with the excimer laser (PRK) consists of correcting optical defects of the eye by polishing the surface of the cornea with the excimer laser, which makes it possible to restore a corneal curvature that allows the light rays to focus correctly on the retina, and in so doing eliminates myopia, astigmatism, hyperopia or presbyopia. The PRK technique is therefore performed just on the surface of the cornea, without creating a corneal flap beforehand, unlike Lasik. More than 30 million cases have benefited from this method since 1990 (30 to 60% of surgical cases), a method for which we have more than 30 years of experience.<\/p>\n

The procedure usually takes around 5 minutes per eye, and is painless<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The procedure is usually performed as follows<\/p>\n

Surface anaesthesia<\/strong> with an eye drop. Patient is awake but no pain is felt. The patient looks into a fixation light and sees nothing else.
\nPeeling<\/strong> of the corneal epithelium with a spatula\/ethanol.
\nPolishing<\/strong> of the corneal surface with the Excimer Laser. The patient stares at the flashing light which aligns the eye. An infrared tracking system realigns the laser 400 times per second to compensate for eye movements (eye-tracker). Each laser strike removes 0.25 microns (a quarter of a millimetre) of surface corneal tissue, sculpting the cornea to the desired curvature change. The surgeon then applies a specific product (mitomycin C) with a small sponge to control the postoperative healing and avoid scar regression (haze)
\nA non-corrective bandage lens<\/strong> and antibiotic eye drops are applied to the eye at the end of the operation.<\/p>\n

The lens is removed after 5 days by the ophthalmologist[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”32293″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Indications<\/h3>\n

Experienced surgeons prefer PRK in the following cases:<\/p>\n