And now to begin my infuriating experience. He said everything looked okay and to just rest and keep up with the drops as directed. Let me know what happens. I just want to say, thank you so much for sharing your stories! The fact is that my eyes are in worse shape now than they were before getting lasik. Its sad to see that this woman had such a hard time, but my vision sucks and has sucked for 1ike 15 years so Im probably gonna pull the trigger on the PRK soon. Talk about something to keep you busy while you wait! Ive had a very similar experience and after 6 months of my first PRK, Ive just underwent a second PRK plus PTK few days ago in my right eye. She confirmed my suspicion that I needed glasses or contacts to gain a 20/20 outlook. Also, pay for the best. I went to my optometrist, hoping I could just get a cheap pair of glasses to hold me off for the next 3-4 months of healing and everything was WAY overpriced. Boy was I wrong, PRK recovery was not what I expected at all! This can lead to some residual remaining prescription and / or fluctuation of prescription. Most importantly, if you decide to go for PRK over LASIK, be mentally prepared to deal with the possibility of dealing with a longer recovery time that may even stretch till 9 to 12 months in the worst case scenario. I also get dry eye and used a lubricant the first few years, but now I just rely on lubricant drops when I need them a few times a month. I got PRK a couple of days back. Because I had blurry vision 2 weeks after PRK, I still needed someone to drive me to my third appointment which I had on Day 27 where the doctor assured me everything was right on track. This is the 6 weeks after the surgery and my vision is way worse than before. Luckily this doesnt happen very often. The procedure worked for a few years, but I went back to glasses. Can't avoid it. Hi Rose, I did not have any other surgery before the first. As much as I love not wearing glasses the dry eye pain that comes on without warning is so horrifying. The cost for both procedures is relatively the same and can range anywhere from $1,500 $3,000 per eye depending on your prescription and whether or not you have astigmatism or not. Im hoping I just havent healed all the way yet. I hope I can get a much clearer vision soon so that I can resume work. Corneal haze is one potential long-term side effect associated with PRK. I am just hoping and praying it gets better. I did vision therapy for many months. But unfortunately this wont always be the case. One extreme consequence of having PRK is the longer recovery time that may extend for many weeks and even months after the surgery has concluded. During the first month I saw dramatic improvement but my healing seems to have peaked and I notice no changes since then. Im 19. Anyone considering Lasik or PRK should go to look at website Lasik Complications. However, most people can see well enough to drive within a week. He told me not to worry and by the time I got back, Id be seeing great. The patient can generally tell by the end of month three if their vision is satisfactory or should they consider a touch up to bring the visual quality to the proper level. The cost of my procedure was $4500 even. All I can say is, I know exactly how you are feeling and unfortunately the only way out is accepting this. Your vision will blur for a few minutes immediately after you use them but the effect lasts so much longer than normal eye drops. Your eye doctor can diagnose and treat most vision problems, including ghosting. I laid down and the doctor put an instrument over my head that held my eyelids open. Unfortunately any time you do durgery on the surface of the eye you run the risk of dry eye. Some of the links included in this post are affiliate links and will provide me with a commission at no additional cost to you. Then I was told I needed an Astromal puncture, so I had that done. According to the Kellogg Eye Center, PCO occurs in about 20% of patients. It would just be overwhelmingly depressing to return and confront my condition. I dont recognize my coworkers sometimes from across the room. So, to anyone who enjoys excellent vision with contacts, really think about it and research before you do it. Is this normal? Ive had to pay out of pocket to see a corneal specialist, have expensive treatments, and I spend over $350/month for eye drops and supplements. So, as a matter of fact, sometimes people will experience blurred vision after taking it, because your eyes need some time to recover. It feels like a nerve problem. So, with that, I will be a candidate to get PRK again.. Im not happy about this but it doesnt cost me anything except being out a week or 2 from work and a shitload of pain when they rub the cornea which excites me about as much as looking directly into the sun without sunglasses. It is very important that the patient protects their eyes from UV light by wearing good sunglasses and do not partake in any activity that may cause damage to the eye organs. Also he told me that as I get older I would need glasses. I was 33 at the time of my surgery, good health, had astigmatism in left eye and my prescription was pretty strong, I paid for the best eye surgeons in my state (Virginia), followed all instructions given pre and post surgery to a T, went to all follow up appointments, and I still have lack luster results. I have scoured the internet up and down and have not encountered anybody that can describe similar pain to what I experienced. Fixed monthly payments are required until paid in full and will be calculated as follows: on 60-month promotion 2.5339% of initial promo purchase amount. It usually takes around 5 to 6 months to last (in most of the cases). I had severe dry eye as well but it did get better it just took some time. Interest will be charged on promotional purchases from the purchase date at a reduced 17.90% APR on purchases with 60 months promotional financing. Its been few days that my right eye seems little blurry then the left eye, I can see things little clearer with the left eye but right eye is little blurry. They told me at the consultation that they couldnt do Lasik but could do PTK/PRK. I had issues and I highly doubt they were ever recorded anywhere. My vision was way better than before the procedure but still blurry. Oh no, Im so sorry for what you had to endure. I am told I am in a 2% 5% group but the more I read, the more I am discovering that percentage might be drastically understated. Thanks so much for sharing your story Amy. So I CLEARLY (no pun intended) have to wear glasses for that time. It was a very painful recovery and regret it every day. [Read more about retinal detachment surgery.]. Since then, Ive been told (does this sound familiar?) His practice has changed a little but I trusted him. I wanted to ask you how long it was since your second surgery and how are you regarding dry eyes?, since I still suffer from it. I was so tense, uncomfortable, and completely miserable! I carried through. 6 years later, still not right, but Im scared to have a second surgery because if it got any worse it wouldnt be bearable. Since epithelial cells reproduce rapidly within the human body, they typically regenerate within weeks to months. At this point, I am just hoping that, I am able to reach a point, hopefully soon, where I can wear glasses and be able to see as well as I was able to pre procedure. Thanks for sharing your story with us Rachel! 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. Check out These Are The Best Eye Drops After Lasik (also applies to PRK) to learn which artificial tear drops work best. By four or five days after surgery your vision begins to clear up, although it may take several weeks to a month to become excellent. Its hard to explain but it took effort to be able to look at the screen. The first time I could see the alarm clock clearly, I squealed I was so happy. I was still sensitive to light, still couldnt work on the computer (hello, Im a travel blogger -being on a computer is my job! However, regular readers do not work well with astigmatism. Vision is still not as clear (crisp) as it used to be when I wore glasses. But when this epithelium is removed, the surface becomes rough. I am doubting the wisdom of an enhancement surgery. Have spent as much money, or more, on drops and reading glasses, and taking time off work, as I would have on glasses or contacts anyways. My vision is definitely much better than it used to be without glasses, but 10 weeks out, I am not seeing anywhere as good as I was able to with glasses. I hear some people saying they pretty much heal over the first month; others tell me that the transition between the 3rd and 4th month is the final round of big changes. After your PRK surgery, you should be able to see clearly within 2-5 weeks. I had RK back in 1979. If I put a soft contact lens on with 0.5 diopters of distance correction, I can see 20/20, but eyeglasses will only get me to 20/40. I had PRK done 3 weeks ago for severe myopia and have now the same problems as you mentioned: severe and debilitating photosensitivity that results in unability to look straight forward or upward, unability to drive or to watch TV and difficulty to use the computer How long did your photosensitivity last ? Eric Kolovson While some of these symptoms are normal after eye surgeries, none should continue indefinitely. The more and more I read, I believe the potential risks are miscalculated significantly. During PRK surgery, corneal surface is modified and nerve endings are damaged, which perturbs the lacrimal system. He laughed. Nicolas_yo 2 yr. ago My myopia was -7.5 with astigmatism roughly the same as yours. Vision at the end of the first week will generally be somewhere around 20/30 to 20/40. 2 weeks? Its been painful, its made normal life impossible, and often I wear a patch over my right eye to prevent headaches from the constant blurred vision. Do you see floaters that were not there before? Thinking about doing it but trying to get all the information. The rest of the week my vision would come and go. Im pretty much going to be honest and up-front with them, as I always have been. 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. I definitely agree we have to all share so people are aware of whats going on. As you get older the likelihood of needing readers grows quite a bit. In April 2021 I convinced him to try PRK one more time and after seven months of healing, my vision is about 20/70. Supposedly, the procedure time, result, and cost are the same with both procedures. Hi Engy, I had severe myopia (- 11) and had PRK done 4 months ago. He acted like the shift was no big deal and said I had thin corneas. Unlike LASIK, PRK does not involve a corneal flap, which comes with its own risk of complications both during and after the procedure. Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts or special offers, previous surgery, insurance, or vision care plan savings. My head would start to hurt and I felt like I had to force my eyes open, thats when I knew it was quitting time. A retinal detachment (also called a detached retina) is a serious medical emergency. PRK Surgery Side Effects That You Should Know About, Precautions When Doing Kitchen Work After Cataract Surgery. They put in plugs which has cut down my eye drop usage to 5+ times a day and 2+ times a night so better but still ridicules. The retinas light-sensitive cells, the rods and cones, are still recovering. Also I had a family member have it done with minimal recovery time. Hello guys, Im having my PRK scheduled in three days. You may be asking yourself why a travel blogger is writing a health-related experience on her travel website. its helped me feel more confident about my decision that the long recovery and potential risks really arent worth it for me personally. 9 months in Nightly ointment. i just had a consultation at which i was told i was only a candidate for prk and not lasik. I didnt want to get my hopes up so I took that with a grain of salt and prepared myself for the worst. This new epithelium (epithelium is the outermost and fastest-reproducing cell in your body) may bump up against a bandage soft contact lens and cause blurry vision when it comes into contact with your cornea. I went to a surgeon who is considered among the very best in Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Are you experiencing continuous blurry vision? 2023 Eye Surgery Guide. Fortunately by the 3 month mark, vision recovery has pretty much completed for most people. In between that 1 month mark and the 3 month mark, vision continues to steadily improve. I wanted LASIK but my corneas were too thin. I am too scared to get prk again after the pain I had and recovery time and my eye doctor (different guy than prk doctor) doesnt think Id have great luck with it if I didnt the first time. Keep the visual demands on your eyes to a minimum. A THIRD EYE SURGERY??!! Good luck to you as well. Dry eyes can affect your vision. They ALWAYS tell you just the 5% develops these complications but I honestly think its a huge BS. Good luck to you. Im so sorry youre going through this Renee. I had the same experience as you did. Then a cornea transplant because I had damaged my cornea. Its yet again, another story where someone is struggling so much after this procedure. I work at a computer all day and have not been able to return to work because of this. You know the, Its so rare, it will most likely not happen. Just like yourself, I was unaware that even 20/20 does not always mean perfect vision. Would i benefit more from topo or wavefront PRK for the enhancement if so? When I read your story it seemed like were relating my experience exactly. I work in a kitchen and doing things with vinegar, cutting onions, being near a stove or a grill are a constant struggle and my coworkers and boss think Im being dramatic. Here are some questions to consider post eye surgery. The doctor told me thats normal and nothing he can do about getting older. I had -6.25 of myopia and some astigmatism. The main symptom of this condition is that the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy, causing blurry vision. I dont know why my experience was so horrible when all Ive heard were good things. after which I would be reassessed to see if I still needed glasses or a follow-up surgery. Maybe there should be a list with LASIK/PRK surgeons like the healthgrades website. 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