TransPRK: procedure guide

Questions about TransPRK

Each answer below is the short version; the question links to the page that carries it in full, with sources.

• What is TransPRK?

  TransPRK is a version of PRK in which the outer layer of the cornea is removed by the excimer laser itself rather than by a separate step, so the whole treatment happens in one continuous laser pass.

• What is PRK?

  PRK is laser vision correction in which the thin outer layer of the cornea is removed, the surface underneath is reshaped with an excimer laser, and the outer layer grows back over the following days.

• Why is PRK recovery longer?

  PRK recovery is longer because the outer layer of the cornea has to regrow, and vision stays soft while it does. Flap and lenticule procedures leave that layer intact, so the surface settles sooner.

• Is PRK painful?

  The procedure itself is not painful because the eye is numbed. The first few days afterwards are commonly described as uncomfortable, with grittiness, watering and light sensitivity while the surface layer regrows.

• When can I return to work after PRK?

  Returning to work after PRK depends on how quickly the surface settles and on what your work involves. It is usually longer than after a flap or lenticule procedure.

• Can I exercise after PRK?

  Light exercise is often permitted early, while swimming and anything risking a knock to the eye are deferred until the surface has healed. Follow the schedule your clinic gives you, since it is tailored to your healing.

• Which procedure is used to treat long sightedness?

  Surface treatments and flap procedures can both correct hyperopia, and lenticule extraction is not a routine hyperopia treatment on the platforms in general use. The choice depends on your measurement and on what is cleared for use where you are treated.

• How long does it take to see clearly after PRK?

  Vision usually improves over the first week as the surface layer regrows, and then continues to settle over weeks to months. It is normal for the two eyes to recover at different speeds, and for vision to fluctuate while they do.

• Can PRK correct astigmatism?

  Yes. Surface treatment can correct astigmatism as well as short sightedness and long sightedness, and the ablation is shaped to the amount and axis of your astigmatism.

• What is the difference between PRK and TransPRK?

  Both are surface treatments. In PRK the outer corneal layer is removed first and the excimer laser then reshapes the tissue underneath. In TransPRK, the laser itself removes that layer and performs the reshaping in one continuous step, without alcohol or a blade.

• When can I swim after PRK?

  Swimming and other water exposure are restricted until the surface of the eye has healed and your surgeon says so. The restriction is usually longer after surface treatment than after a flap or lenticule procedure, because the outer layer is regrowing.

• What is surface ablation?

  Surface ablation is the family name for treatments that reshape the cornea from the outside rather than by lifting a flap or removing a lenticule from inside. PRK, LASEK, epi-LASIK and TransPRK are all surface ablation.