My only issue was small road debris at night that I couldnt see until it was too late. Then the day of the surgery he told me I was getting PRK. Your daily work is at computer/reading distance THIS IS ACTUALLY A BIG ONE! Same pain and sensitivity again. Basically, I am screwed. +5 and +5.5 with a high astigmatism. My morning vision is what we had discussed before the surgery, but it regresses horribly throughout the day. After your PRK surgery, it is wise to use lubricating drops or a moisturizing contact lens in order to keep your eyes comfortable during the healing process. Type 2 (late-onset corneal haze) occurs after three months and persists longer than three years. My vision was WAY better than before the procedure but I still felt like I couldnt see great especially in low light or at night. Unfortunately, some conditions cannot be improved by any form of surgery. I screamed and begged my husband to kill me. Finally 2 yrs later I started to really notice myself squinting to see things far away and got to the point I wouldnt drive At all at night. The first one was taken on both eyes at age 21, I had 1.25 & 1. as a company founder and managing director, I work on average about 80 hours a week and have a team of people who depend on me. Do NOT rub your eyes in the shower or afterward with a towel. My job choices are now extremely limited. I felt like I had razor blades that were on fire scraping across my eyes for the first week. Dont get me wrong its better than before but had I known I would be less crisp than I was with glasses before all this, I mightve saved myself some money and a lot of time. Wish you a good day. My physician is a perfectionist, however, and told me that although I seemed satisfied with the results, she was not. Be sure to attend regular follow up visits to ensure your eyes are healing properly. The bother of glasses is nothing compared with the misery youve experienced. Definitely do not have any more surgeries! Required fields are marked *. My left eye is not 20/10 and I have glare issues with both eyes in low light. Keep reading for my full PRK recovery journal, Update as of December 8, 2022: The FDA May Issue Warnings about Lasik. Hi Agustin, Im so sorry for your experience. Without glasses, I cannot see ANYTHING clearly on any screen from most typical viewing distances, however, I can see pictures and images at farther distances but words are still REALLY blurry. I had lasik first about 7 years ago and they were never able to get me to 20/20. In 2 days I was up and still sensitive to light had to wear dark sunglasses. I wear glasses 100% more then before it. Also because its something people cant see, so they dont understand. He told me not to worry and by the time I got back, Id be seeing great. Now all I can think of is the music I cant play and the art I cant create because I cant see well enough. I would not recommend anyone going to any of the discount practices or any practice not using the most up to date equipment as you only get one set of eyes. I drive at night for work and i only have four days left of the year i can take off for vacation/sick time. I had a pre-surgery visit with his team. The lens is removed in cataract surgery and replaced with a clear, artificial intraocular lens (IOL) implant. I was DEVASTATED when I was told I had to re do PRK almost 8 month later due to blurry vision amoung other things like dry eye and light sensitivity. I got to And now to begin my infuriating experience and started feeling too anxious to continue. My eyes have been sensitive to the sun and onions ever since. I used to love travel but I cant imagine going to places like Iceland again because I would never be able to see it again like I did when I had gone before. No reading glasses just yet! Thats gotten better as well. Ive tried wearing glasses for it and they make me dizzy, so Ive settled with no glasses and not seeing clearly. The cupholders in my car are full of them. Well, it seems that a PRK surgery was inevitable to you. From 07, three years after my surgery, my vision was noticeably worse and every year would get a little worse until 15 when I got glasses. Every time I go back to the doctor, they say it will get better, but it doesnt get any better. I didn't realize what I wasn't seeing. He told me everyone heals at a different pace. This corneal abrasion takes three or four days to heal, resulting in moderate pain and blurred vision in the short term. I got PRK in 2005 because I was military and into extreme sports. The best I can remember, things had started to get a little blurry when I was around 10. The procedure worked for a few years, but I went back to glasses. Those of us that have had horrible experiences need to share with others because I do not feel the eye surgeons are properly informing their patients of the potential risks. Bowman. It felt like I was being tortured on a rack of sorts! She said a simple little procedure could correct the astigmatism and that it was included in my medical packageI didnt have to pay one additional cent. There are many reasons PRK may be recommended. Seven months after my surgery, I went for a regular eye exam at a Vision Center. I also had to take ALOT of unexpected work days off to have the same surgery LUCKY I wasnr fired/ let go due to it. I did vision therapy for many months. I had to have a cataract procedure (even though I didnt have a cataract, but they had to replace the lens). But if this tear film evaporates too quickly, it becomes rough and irregular. Sorry for your eye issues, but there is hope. Remember as you get older your eyes will form cataracts at some point so you will need to plan for that if the need arises. Last September I had cataract surgery plus intraocular lens (IOL) implants (right and left eye three weeks apart). Other possible risks for both surgeries include dry eye, infection, haze effect on vision, halos, night glares, redness, and long-term light sensitivity after PRK. Past 6 months onwards i am using FML eye drops. My eyes had been about -7.5 prior to PRK. Read 9 Doctor Answers Poor Vision After PRK. Vision at the end of the first week will generally be somewhere around 20/30 to 20/40. Is this normal? I carried through. We look forward to working with you to determine the best eye surgery or nonsurgical treatment for your individual needs. I had PRK in 2017. I had prk in 2012 and achieved better than 20/20 visionbut a few weeks ago I woke up one day and it was as if I had never had the surgery!! Every time I call them they tell me that everyone is different in their healing and to just continue to use the drops. 3. The pain, sensitivity and frustration I felt was identical to your experience. And so your vision will heal up in different stages. My distance vision is not that great either, but better than before obviously (my power was -6 in right and -7 in left). Light sensitivity typically only lasts a few days after surgery, after which your blurry vision should diminish. With PRK, rather than forming a flap, the top surface (epithelium) is scraped away. All LASIK savings offers are valid only on bladeless custom LASIK based off the LASIK procedure book price. I am one and a half years post op. My vision now is 20/70 without glasses. Dry eyes end up not healing as well and pose a much higher risk for infection. I slept off and on for most of the first two days with mild discomfort here and there. I think they let us sign a waiver before the surgery but I cant remember. Im not holding my breath. It is normal for you to experience significant fluctuations in your visions for the first couple of weeks following your procedure. I wanted to avoid spending $500 a year on eye classes but now I spend $500+ a year on eye drops! The main symptom of this condition is that the natural lens of the eye becomes cloudy, causing blurry vision. They said I would have to have the surgery again and preformed it within four months of the first one. For about 12 hours, the pain was unbearable. Compared to mt left eye, my reading distance is somewhat blurry and NOT crisp! Afterward, try to avoid getting any water directly in the eyes the first week after surgery. I already feel like I am going to have to push for a prescription at my next appointment but I would rather pay for temporary glasses than live in a blur. In fact, by about 3 months, the blurry vision after PRK may almost be entirely gone! Im now 42 with 20/80, astigmatism, and +1.5 progressives. My right eye is just about perfect. It is my opinion that no one should risk their precious eyes! I had the consultation planned for the Tuesday, surgery on Thursday and work the following week. at this point, I think I need to cut ties and continue to see my regular eye doctor and not the one at the lasik center. I guess I knew the risks but then I just crossed my fingers and hoped that it would not happen to me. Of course I can see 10 times better when wear the glasses. I found that one eye could see ok between about 100mm to 200mm so if i winked and held my face 150mm from my work, then I could do ok. it has now been nearly 3 weeks, I can get by. If I knew what I knew now, I wouldnt have wasted my time or money on the procedure. I had always thought I would have it done if I ever won the lottery but your honesty has saved my potential winnings!! 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. Anywhere I inhabit is littered with the tiny plastic bottles of preservative free eye drops. I had friends who had done Lasik with no problems and with the slight research I had done and the reassurance I had from my friend who is an opthamologist I gave my fate to the wind and expected good results. I had LASIK 20 years ago and the results were amazing. Blurry vision after PRK laser eye surgery This may take anywhere from a few weeks to a maximum of six months. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. I have myopia and astigmatism and both eye -4.25. The discomfort can be alleviated to some degree by using eye drops that work towards numbing the eye and stopping the tears. Thats why one of my doctor said FML is not require more than 6 weeks so you can stop. I dont feel like I am seeing any improvements but some days are better or worse than others. However, blurry vision may last longer if you have both a vitrectomy and retina surgery. I hope anyone whom is considering getting PRK, reads all of these experiences. Having three babies was less painful than what I went through with prk. Avoid rubbing your eyes and use the eye protection given to you by your doctor even longer than the recommended timeframe. Is this normal? And only the healing time and potential complications differ. Im now at three months post-surgery and Im still being told to be patient and that all will end well, albeit with a bit more equivocation: maybe it wont be quite 20/20. Also, the more you correct the more you risk an over-correction. My first week of recovery was similar to yours, except I didnt have any pain meds, anti anxiety meds, or sleeping pills before or after surgery. Oh and now my right eye all of a sudden seems to be getting worse. I had PRK done on both eyes on the same day. They say its because of dry eye, but before surgery I never experienced dry eye (probably used eye drops 3 times in my life before surgery, now 10+ times a day and 5+ times a night). *Participation Varies and not all locations participate in this $1000 discount program or VSP member discounts. What symptom that mostly annoyed me was the dry eye syndrome where I wake up some nights due to painful dry eyes! The doctor told me they could take me in for another go once my eyes stabilize but she said if I was Ok with the glasses she wouldnt recommend it since I started with such a high number the first time. How long ago did you have the surgery and what did your friend, the doctor, say about your complications? I had PRK done in Jan 2019, and it has ruined my quality of life. Stage 2 This stage comes from 30 to 60 minutes after the surgery as the patient begins to experience the effects of numbering drops started to wear off. The patient. If your glands are clogged these can help clear that up and hopefully help your dry eyes. PRK was the original laser eye surgery, and soon after LASIK followed suit. LASIK has little downtime with only a day or so for recovery whereas PRK is much longer. Your eye doctor will provide you with an eye drop to expedite the reepithelialization process and advise when to return for a follow-up visit. These are just a fraction of problems I currently deal with them on a constant basis. My night vision is worse than before surgery. Its October 26 (about a month and a half later) and Im experiencing some of the same issues that you had. LASIK has little downtime with only a day or so for recovery whereas PRK is much longer. (Pardon my demeanor but Im pretty ****ing bitter since my vision seems to be getting worse). Please note: The general information provided on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or care, nor is it intended to be a substitute therefore. Well some of your concerns seem valid. All About Vision does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Started about 8-9 days after the surgery and has been unchanged since then. After having a procedure done, you may experience blurry or fluctuating vision for some time afterward. My experience has been almost identical to yours. If you experience any of these effects, contact your surgeon promptly. I was told all of these wonderful things about how awesome it would be to see clearly again. I couldnt see as crisp as I used to with contacts and had a hard time reading signs far away. Dry eye comes and goes and some days things seem blurier than others. My left eye is 20/20, not blurry at all. I was not a candidate for LASIK due to thin corneas. 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