My PRK Experience

34 Comments

1. I got my PRK done on May 1. Fortunately, I never felt any pain even post surgery. I was advised to take painkillers in case of pain but those pill lay in my room as it is. three weeks have passed. My vision is 85-90 percent clear I feel. I have to see doctor after three days. I want to start swimming and know how soon I can start using eye makeup. I need to know how long my eyes have to be away from water.

2. I just scheduled my PRK surgery for Monday of next week. EEP! I am moving at the end of January(just from San Antonio to Austin, TX so I will still be able to see the dr for follow-ups) so I know I am cutting it a bit close and putting myself under some stress, but it is now or never with this dr and I really like him. I also have nystagmus (where the eyes travel or vibrate back and forth rather than remaining fully stable when focused on an object),and he did plenty of research to make sure that the risks were relatively low so I am feeling good about doing it now and going with him. Yours is the only experience video I’ve stumbled upon without looking. I watched it when you first published it, so I am going to watch it again later when I am not at work. Wish me luck!!!

   1. I wake up every day grateful I did the surgery. I love not having to wear glasses or contacts. Make sure you ask them for pain pills, I definitely needed them and not having them was miserable.

      1. They told me I would be receiving a prescription for painkillers and sleeping pills. Pain killers do a number on my stomach, but I am sure I’ll be happy to have them! I am a little nervous but there’s no turning back now.

3. I am day 13 after my PRK surgery. It is not feeling amazing to see so well. I was a -9 before and now see 20/40 as of a couple of days ago. My only complaint is that due to needing my saline drops constantly my eyelids are red and puffy as well as raw. It is a bit painful, did you have this experience and if so how did you manage it?

   1. So my doctor gave me lotemex and gentimiacin (sp?) medicine drops and I used those drops 4 times a day each, and then used the saline drops in between. I felt like all I did all day was put in drops. I would lay back, put the drops in, blink a few times, make sure that it felt like the drops were absorbed, then GENTLY blot my eyes with a tissue. That helped.

4. I’m a -7 with pretty bad astigmatism in both eyes. While I haven’t been evaluated by a LASIK or PRK specialist yet, my regular optometrist has suggested I pursue it as if my astigmatism gets any worse I’ll have to custom order contact lenses. I’m glad to have heard your story! My dad had LASIK back in the mid 90s when the technology was young and it was botched so he’s got permanent and uncorrectable multiple vision in each eye. Technology really has advanced so much since then! I’m always so encouraged when I hear success stories from people who’ve gotten it recently. It makes my decision to save for it, despite my dad’s reservations, seem that much more worth it. Thanks for sharing!

   1. You’re welcome! Ray had it done in the 90s by one of the people who pioneered the procedure, so his went off without a hitch. He’s been trying to talk me into it since 1999, I was just too scared before this year. I wish I had done it sooner. It’s so worth it! I’m sorry to her about what happened to your dad.

5. OMG you are BRAVE!! I am a -5 and they tell me my eyes are getting worse really quickly for my age but I am SO scared of having this or LASIK done. I hope your eyes feel better soon, this sounds horrible!

   1. The only issue I have left is light sensitivity, so I think I’m doing great.

6. Sorry you’re suffering! The tutes will wait. Rest your eyes and treat yourself well.

   1. Thank you! I’m definitely doing better.

      1. Very glad to hear it!

7. Thanks for sharing your story, I know it will encourage a lot of people! I feel like if you are going to have an elective surgery that will really enhance the quality of your life and your health-go for it! I’m glad that you are healing well, I’m also glad that you are happy with the results, imagine when your vision completely stabilizes! I’ve had to have a lot of non elective major surgeries, so I’ll just stick with my glasses and contacts but I’m definitely going to share with people who are considering it! I know how it is when you can’t get to your glasses and you feel helpless, I’m sure where you were at -9 that was VERY intense! I’m only less than -3 so I can only imagine! Glad it was a success! Now you can go straight to your makeup without worrying about contacts, how great is that?!

   1. You’re very welcome! Once I can start wearing makeup again I’ll be very happy 🙂

      1. <3 I know you will!! 🙂 Probably right now you can't even think of putting any kind of makeup close to your eyes, just too irritating!

         1. I tried mascara last week and it was too soon. It irritated my eyes.

8. I’m so glad you are happy with your procedure. Not having to mess with glasses or contacts was a life altering thing for me since I love to swim. I hope it will be for you too!

   1. It already is! Thank you 🙂

9. Glad you got it done and are healing up nicely!

   1. Thanks Cin!

10. That was an awesome story! Wow, I had no idea the procedure is so short, however, the description of all your eye pain afterward was a horrible experience to go through. Years ago, when I was in my 20’s, I had met a lot of different specialists who told me that I was an excellent candidates for the LASIK procedure. However, I have a terrible phobia of anything having to do with any surgical procedures, so I declined. I really don’t mind wearing glasses as I think that there are so many different types that are really “cosmetically enhancing”. Fortunately for me, my eyesight isn’t terribly bad. I’m 51 now and just got my first pair of bifocals when I turned 50 and I had no problems adjusting to them at all.

    Your story was very inspirational to all who may be considering go through either PRK or LASIK. Thanks so much, Phyrra, for sharing your story and know that over time your eyes will be back to 100% healthy☺️

    1. You’re very welcome 🙂

11. I think if you are able to do it, you should. I have numerous eye problems that prevent me from having this kind of surgery – I have had it investigated. I would love to throw away my glasses for good. I can’t even wear contact lenses. So hopefully your article will help others to at least find out whether it could work for them. Thank you for being so open and honest about the procedure.

    1. No problem! I know fear held me back for years and I wanted to share my experience in the hopes that it would help others to not be afraid.

       I’m so sorry that you’re unable to have this done 🙁 I know how frustrating it must be to always have to deal with glasses.

12. I was one who had Lasik but have dry eye and starbursts as a side effect. My night driving isn’t very fun at all 🙁 I’d still do it again though. The freedom from glasses and contacts is great until you get where you need reading glasses LOL. Glad your healing is right on schedule and good for you for toughing it through the fear!

    1. I think even just needing reading glasses won’t be so bad because I can function with normal stuff without using them. So sorry to hear about dry eye and starbursts. That sounds awful! Surprisingly, my halo effect at night is less than when i wore glasses and contacts. I think my PRK partially (or maybe fully) corrected that, or will once my eyes are fully healed.

13. I’m glad you experience has ultimately been positive. High five for the mention of Bob Ross and the Dune reference!

    1. Hah, glad you were amused at those 🙂

14. I got lens implants in 2008. Now, 7 years later I’m wearing contacts again. And it makes me very very sad, because life without them was AWESOME! Too bad my vision went back again.

    1. I’m unfamiliar with lens implants. Did you look into Lasik or PRK?

       1. I did, but my eye sights was too bad.

          1. What was considered too bad? I’m currently on -7.50 and I’m thinking of going for LASEK or LASIK

             1. I was almost at -10 and my cornea wasn’t thick enough for laser. They’d have to scrape it all off basically to correct my vision, so the alternative was implant lenses.

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