What is LASEK?
LASEK is a surface treatment in which the thin outer layer of the cornea is loosened with alcohol and folded back, the excimer laser is applied underneath, and the layer is replaced. It sits between PRK, where that layer is removed, and LASIK, where a thicker flap is created.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- PRK & TransPRK
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Procedures
- PRK
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
The differences between these surface variants matter less than the thing they share: the treatment is applied to the surface, so the eye has to regrow that layer, which is why the first few days are less comfortable than after a flap or lenticule procedure.
What this answer depends on
- Your corneal thickness and surface
- Which technique the surgeon uses routinely
- How much early discomfort you can accommodate
Related guides
People also ask
The questions readers move to next from this one: the closest subjects first, from either question bank.
Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision correction & laser eye surgery in PRK & TransPRK . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Procedure PRK
- Procedure TransPRK
- Comparison LASIK vs PRK
- Comparison SMILE vs PRK
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
The equivalent clinical reference chapter for LASIK, used so that comparisons describe both procedures symmetrically.
Used for How LASIK creates and manages a corneal flap; LASIK complication categories.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Comparison of clinical outcomes of LASIK, Trans-PRK, and SMILE
A comparative study of three commonly used refractive procedures, including a summary of proposed advantages of each.
Used for The procedure comparison page, particularly the PRK discussion.
Link checked 22 September 2026