Prior to the PRK procedure, Valium is given to relax you. Dr. Patel applies numbing eye drops to block the feeling of pain. While every person has their own unique threshold for discomfort, most patients do not report that the process is painful. The PRK recovery process may bring you temporary discomfort as the epithelial cells regenerate on the surface of your eye. To minimize your discomfort, Dr. Patel will place bandage contact lenses in your eyes and prescribe medication to help alleviate these symptoms and keep you comfortable.

The full PRK procedure takes 5-7 minutes per eye, from the time you enter our custom-designed surgical suite until you go into the recovery area. The excimer laser treatment which reshapes your cornea takes less than a minute! 

Although PRK has a low serious complication rate among experienced surgeons like Dr. Reena Patel, it is still a surgical procedure and therefore carries some element of risk.

Complications of PRK can include:

• Starbursts, glare, or haloes in low light environments
• Sensitivity to bright light
• Overcorrection or under-correction
• Infection
• Pain
• Double vision
• Clouded vision

Your eyes will need time to recover an intact outer layer on the cornea. Expect to take  5-7 days off from work to recover from PRK in Wichita. Your best vision results will probably take longer to achieve, but most patients are able to return to non-strenuous activities after a week. It is important to keep your follow-up visits so Dr. Patel can monitor your progress.

Your vision is constantly changing. While PRK is performed to correct a refractive error, other vision conditions can develop that may require you to need glasses in the future. Most people over age 40 develop a condition called presbyopia. This is a gradual stiffening of the natural lenses in your eyes that makes it difficult to focus on things at near like your phone or a book. Even if you had a successful PRK procedure, you may need over-the-counter reading glasses as you grow older. There are also different surgical methods to correct presbyopia. If you are experiencing this condition and are frustrated with reading glasses, contact us to learn about your treatment options.

There are several conditions that must be met to be considered for PRK:

• 18 years or older
• Stable vision prescription for at least one year
• Free of eye disease or other interfering vision conditions
• Proper corneal thickness
• Good overall health
• Realistic expectations
• Full understanding of the potential risks

The only way to know if you meet these requirements is by having a comprehensive PRK consultation with us. It’s free and will let you know for sure if PRK is a safe option for vision correction for you.

It’s free and will let you know for sure if PRK is a safe option for vision correction for you.

It is not likely that the cost of PRK will go down in the future. In fact, as technology changes, the costs may actually rise over time. While the price of PRK is a definite concern for many people, you don’t want to shop for the lowest price if it means sacrificing quality. When you are researching PRK centers, be sure to weigh the cost against:

• The surgeon’s training, experience, and results
• The type of technology being used
• Whether a low advertised price will really actually apply to your vision prescription
• Additional hidden fees that will apply
• Inclusion or exclusion of follow-up care with your surgeon

You only have one set of eyes, so make sure you put your vision care into a doctor and center you trust – like Dr. Reena Patel and Wichita Vision Institute. 

Yes. You can choose to have the surgery on both eyes or just one eye at a time.

Patients should wait 1 week after surgery before wearing makeup.