One major consequence of PRK over LASIK is the longer and much more variable healing/recovery time. It’s nerve-racking having blurry vision weeks and even months after surgery.
The amount of time required to heal can be frustrating.
Since I’ve found comfort reading other people’s recovery timelines, I offer mine in hopes that it will do the same for you. On the flip side, I’ve also read quick healing timelines that made me more stressed out. Hopefully my story doesn’t do that to you. ;)
Just remember healing time is extremely variable; six months being the most common “worst-case scenario,” but I’ve also read between 9 and 12 months.
Unless anything else comes up, I will no longer update this post cause I’m back to normal! w00t w00t! But if you have any questions about my recovery, feel free to leave a comment.
Also, be sure to read the comments for some other first-hand recovery experiences. Thanks everyone for commenting and sharing!
Overview
Day 1 – September 30th, 2010
Surgery happened around noon.
We’re looking to correct:
- Nearsightedness (-3.25 in both eyes)
- Slight astigmatism
I will say one thing about the surgery itself. The doctor sprayed some fluid in my eye right after the laser zapped my cornea. During this split second I could see crystal clear. The laser above me was in sharp focus; no haze, no blurriness, just perfect vision.
This short glimpse into my future vision is what I hold onto when I doubt the results of PRK. I keep telling myself: “You saw clearly then. You will see clearly again.”
Right after surgery I could see somewhere between with contacts/glasses and without. So between 0 and -3.25. I didn’t have any pain, but the doctor told me to take a Lortab when I got home.
Lortab makes me nauseous, so post-op went something like this: got home, took a Lortab, slept, woke up, took another Lortab, slept and into Day 2 we go! ;)
Day 2
Eyes feel fine. No pain or discomfort. Doctor says everything looks good.
Vision is still what it was yesterday. Blurry, but better than before surgery without contacts.
While the doctor says I can’t drive yet, my vision is good enough that I feel comfortable driving to the grocery store for some lubricating drops. Not sure if my eyes are in the legal limits though. ;)
Day 3
You know the feeling you get when you’re in a dark room and walk outside into the sun? Your eyes feel overwhelmed and you have to shut them for a bit?
That’s how my eyes felt for the first part of the day.
I tried watching college football but couldn’t keep my eyes open for too long. My eyes felt overwhelmed. I couldn’t keep them open for more than a few minutes before I wanted to close them.
Luckily that cleared up halfway through the day and I felt fine afterward.
Vision hasn’t changed though. Still blurry.
Day 4-5
I was standing in my living room looking across to the kitchen when I realized I could see better than the previous days. Still not better (or equal to) when I had contacts, but definitely better than before.
That’s good news right?
Day 6
That is until the doctor messes with you!
I go in for my second post-op appointment and the doctor takes out the bandage contact lenses.
Vision regresses to what it was on Day 1-3. Bummer! *shakes fist at doctor* “You’ll rue the day!”
Day 7
I drive for the first time at night.
This is my first post-PRK venture in the dark with my new eyes. I know night vision problems is a common side effect of PRK (e.g. halos, glare, starbursts), so I’m anxious to see what night vision problems I have.
To my surprise, it doesn’t appear that I have any.
Since I’m still somewhat sensitive to light, I don’t stare at any street lights for too long, but as far as I can tell my night vision is what it was before I had PRK. Not seeing any signs of halos, starbursts, etc.
I’m praying this trend continues throughout my PRK recovery.
Week 1
The common thread the past week has been vision that is between with contacts and without. Basically my nearsightedness has been reduced, but not eliminated.
Luckily it’s good enough that I feel safe driving because I go back to work for the first time tomorrow. I’m slightly worried about going back because I spend a vast majority of my time on a computer and I don’t want to strain my eyes while they’re healing.
But *shrug*. It is what it is. I gotta work to pay the bills.
There haven’t been any significant improvements or regression in vision (just a small improvement on Day 4 and 5). Overall my vision has been fairly consistent since the surgery.
I will say I am surprised at how non-existent pain and discomfort has been. I’ve experienced no pain or discomfort this past week. Also, I don’t have any problems with dry eyes (another common PRK side effect). I use the lubricating drops as directed, but never feel like I need them.
Score one for the home team!
Day 8
First day back to work.
As I mentioned earlier, I spend most of my day on a computer. Being back wasn’t nearly as straining as I had expected. I did have to bump my screen resolution down to 1024×768 to see anything, but I feel good about resuming normal computer activity (with frequent breaks).
Day 9
Today was the first day I felt good about the strength of my eyes. My eyes have needed 10 to 15 minutes in the morning to fully wake up and not feel like they’ve just woken up from a coma. Not so much today.
Aside from the still blurry vision, they feel strong.
The eyes no longer need to be babied and I feel comfortable resuming activities I’ve avoided the past week (e.g. reading my Kindle and using a computer).
Day 10-12
Same old, same old . . .
Day 13
While my vision hasn’t had any major fluctuations since the surgery, I can tell there are slight changes up/down. Every couple days or so I’ll sense my vision is better than it has been. Usually it’ll happen randomly during the day, but it doesn’t last to the next day.
Today, unfortunately, was the noticeably worse day I’ve had since the surgery. Not horrible by any means. I could still drive and function as normal, but I could just tell my vision was worse than in the past.
Day 14
If yesterday was the worse day, today’s the best my vision has been yet. How convenient since I had another appointment today. ;)
Surprisingly, my vision is somewhere between 20/40 and 20/25. Didn’t realize it would be that good. I could make out the letters on the Snellen chart, but the sharpness/focus wasn’t there. That’s the part I miss the most from my vision. Even reading things up close (like the text on this monitor) don’t have the crispness I did with contacts.
But according to my current progress, the doctor says it’ll take another three weeks before my eyes stabilize.
So until then I won’t worry too much.
Week 2
My vision through this past week has stayed fairly consistent. Consistently not stellar. The story of my life the past two weeks. ;)
I can detect minor ups and downs in quality of vision from day to day, but nothing significant. I’ve had both my best and worst seeing days in the same week. But overall, I don’t believe my vision is any better than it was a week ago. Or, maybe the progress is happening so subtly that I can’t tell?
Also, the doctor says to wait another three weeks for the eyes to stabilize.
In all of this, you’ll hear me say my eyes are blurry a lot. I think I should define that a little more. I was nearsighted (-3.25 in both eyes). After surgery I am still nearsighted (as of right now), only less so. I can read/see fine up close, but things in the distance are blurry.
Blurry applies to distance vision (which is expected being nearsighted) but it also applies to close-up vision. In this context, blurry means the vision isn’t crisp/sharp. It’s slightly out of focus. So while I can read a book just fine, I can detect a hint of the words being out of focus.
The clarity just isn’t there yet.
Week 3
This has been the best week by far. There’s been noticeable improvement in my vision. I believe I’ve hit 20/20 at various points. It’s been neat getting up in the morning and being able to see clearly.
My vision hasn’t fully stabilized yet, but I’m finally starting to feel better about the results of my surgery. If things progress as they have I’ll be a happy camper.
I also engaged in sports for the first time without any problems. Played a couple matches of tennis and a pick-up game of Ultimate Frisbee. At no point did I feel hindered because of my eyes.
There are still minor ups and downs from day to day (and within each day), but the average quality of my vision has improved. Let’s say last week was 75%, this week it’s been 85%.
The blurriness is slowly clearing up (both distance and close-up). I can now see objects in the distance with more focus. Books are also getting clearer, however, I am still having some blurriness when viewing computer screens.
Week 4
I’m pretty confident my vision is at or near 20/20. This makes me happy, but at the same time my vision is still not at the same quality it was with contacts.
I could see 20/20 with my contacts, but things were much more crisp.
Being able to see 20/20 is only one aspect of good vision. The part I’m missing is the sharpness and clarity. So that doesn’t make me happy and reminds me there’s still more healing/waiting that needs to be done.
Also, I think I am having some night vision issues. Still no halos, starburts, etc., but I feel like I’ve lost the ability to see detail in the shadows. It’s kind of hard to describe. As I’m drive at night there are portions of what I see that appear to be completely black; where I can’t see any detail. Instead of seeing an outline or shape in the shadows it all blends together into a blob of darkness.
Let’s hope this isn’t a permanent issue. While it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it were, it’s still a little weird. What if a burglar jumps out from the shadows and I can’t see him!? ;)
Week 5
Overall, not much has changed from last week. The vision has stayed consistent (near, if not at 20/20) and I think the lack of clarity/sharpness has gotten a bit better.
And also, I’m positive now I am having night vision side effects. I haven’t quite put my finger on exactly what it is. But it does have to do with not being able to see shadow detail. And whether it is related or not, there seems to be certain situations with lights (i.e. stop lights/car head lights) that make me sense something is different than it was prior to surgery.
I’m going to try and experiment with my night vision this upcoming week to see if I can explain what these “symptoms” are.
Week 6-7
Wow, has it already been seven weeks since the surgery? Over the past two weeks I’ve found myself not noticing any vision problems at all (at least during the day). So the slight issues I had looking at computer screens has gone away. It was such a gradual thing that I didn’t even realize it was getting better.
I just started waking up and going about my day like nothing was wrong. Only when I had to think about writing this update did it occur to me things had gotten better.
But as I hinted at before, I still have a detectable problem seeing details in shadows at night.
Even if that doesn’t clear up, I will still be satisfied with the results of my surgery. I have a follow-up appointment this upcoming week. We’ll see what the doctor has to say then.
Week 8
Had a follow-up appointment with the doctor this week. According to the Snellen chart, I’m seeing just better than 20/20. I could read the 20/20 line without any problems and some of the 20/15 line. Good news there.
As far as the night vision problems I’ve been describing, I explained it to the doctor and he wanted me to do a little test. He wanted me to compare my night vision with someone else. His main reason being sometimes people can over-analyze too much and he wanted a comparison.
Sounds like something I would do. Pretty ingenious “experiment” if you ask me. ;)
So I did the test and my roommate could not see shadow detail any better than I could. Perhaps I am seeing normally. I’ve only been able to compare with one other person. I’ll find a few more and see if the results are the same. If they are, that bodes well for me. That means my vision is normal and as good as it was with contacts/glasses!
From here on out I will only update this blog monthly.
3 Month
90 days! 3 months!
So here’s the deal. From my last update you know I was “complaining” about some night visions issues and the comparison my doctor wanted me to do. Aside from my roommate, I didn’t compare with anyone else cause I feel like I don’t have those night vision problems anymore.
Now you’re probably thinking to yourself it must have been psychosomatic (i.e. my brain was making me think I had issues when I really didn’t), but I swear I had problems! By coincidence it cleared up after my doctor had me do the test. Seriously! ;)
I would say I felt 100% healed and fully functional at the 2.5 month mark.
Other Recovery Timelines
- My PRK Adventure (three month recovery)
- PRK Surgery and Recovery (5+ week recovery)
- My PRK Surgery and Recovery (three month recovery)
- My PRK Experience (41 day recovery)
1,434 replies on “My PRK Recovery Timeline”
Hey Alex! One week from now I will be going in for PRK. I am very nervous and I want to prepare as much as possible. What were things that you had and were grateful or things you didn’t have that you wish you did? Anyone else that is reading this please comment as well! Your timeline has really helped ease my nerves. Thank you so much for writing this.
I mean like when you got home after surgery besides all the eye drops. I read another blog where the woman recommended cool eye masks.
I knew I wasn’t going to see very well soon so I prepared by cleaning the house and stocking up on groceries, so that I did not have to leave the house. I also had some family members prepare food for me and my husband for the next couple of days… It helped as I was able to just relax and focus on healing. :)
there’s nothing i wish i had done differently given i’m very happy with how my surgery went.
the one thing i am glad i did was take time off work. iirc, i took friday off and then the entire next week. with my surgery on a friday, i had a full ten days off before having to back to work (six days off from work plus two weekends).
i’m glad i did that because it gave me eyes plenty of time to heal without the pressure of being needed for work.
Very helpful and encouraging. Thank you for taking the time to document your journey. Take care.
Hi! I just had PRK done about 6 days ago and I’ve done all of my pre op appointments and while my doctor says everything looks good, I’m still a bit anxious that something might go wrong in my healing process… as of today my vision in my left eye is 20/25 and my right eye is 20/30, which is decent! What can I do in the following week to take care of my eyes so that my healing stays on track so that I can hit my 20/20 mark? My doctor basically told me to keep taking my prednisolone and to use my gel drops/artificial tears, but is there anything else I can do, like small things, that could help? Maybe stuff with phone brightness/ how far I should be sitting from a laptop, etc… i don’t want to strain my eyes, what do!?
i don’t know how much it actually affects recovery, but really anything to reduce the strain on your eyes. so lowering the resolution on your computer and making sure you take frequent “screen” breaks (from a computer or phone) are the two big ones that come to mind.
really, i would listen to your eyes. i remember being able to tell when they were tired or overused. when that happens, close your eyes for a few minutes and take a break.
Hi! Today marks 2 weeks since my PRK surgery. My eyes get dry and blurry all day, going in and out of focus. The past few days I have noticed a lot of goopy discharge stuck to my eyelashes. It’s like cobwebs of ickiness covering my eyes. I have to wipe my eyes with a warm washcloth to get it off. Is this normal???
i remember having that goop in the mornings when i woke up. so i would imagine it’s fairly normal. but something to keep an eye on and talk with your doctor at the next appointment if it doesn’t get better.
thank you so much for this report! I’ve got PRK 8 days ago and I’m continuously checking my eyesight improvements!
Thank you! I am getting PRK on Monday and was scared (even though I’ve had LASIK in the past). This helped a lot.
Thank you fo this. I’ve been a lil freaked out. 2.5 weeks out of prk
It has been over a year since PRK. My experiences have been similar to others with this difference.
Even while still using drops, occasionally at night, I will quickly open my stuck eyes and it is like PRK all over again. Have to use anesthetic drops for pain a couple times.
Laser cataract laser surgery in both eyes, PRK only in left eye.
When can I expect this to cease?
I don’t know when that pain will go away but might I suggest using Refresh PM. It’s helped me with dryness at night.
it’s really impossible to say how long that will continue for you. does a doctor still monitor your progress? if not, it might be worth visiting one again.
Thank God i ran into this post. I just had PRK 2 weeks ago. I had Lasik 7 years ago and i needed an enhancement. I’m really frustrated and extremely nervous because my vision right now is way worse than before i decided to get the enhancement !!! i regret doing this procedure so much!! vision is super blurry both near and far sighted!! eyes are extremely dry even applying the drops pretty much every 5 minutes and having the plug tears in !!. I see double and i have not seen much improvement since the surgery at all!!!! i guess I’ll continue to wait and see if things get better. Thanks for sharing!!
keep holding strong! feelings of regret are pretty normal when you don’t see the results as quickly as you’d like. especially since you’ve done LASIK before and see instant results there. keep following doctors suggestions and be patient. that’s the biggest key with PRK.
Thanks for this blog. It helped with what to expect during and after the procedure. I just came back to it because I’m 2 weeks out and frustrated that my mid & close up vision is so much worse than before. I saw you had the same experience and that Week 3 was a marked improvement – so I will continue to be patient.
Has anyone else out there had to wear readers, almost all of the time, to help get through this period? I still have to work…
while i didn’t, i know some previous commenters have.
I wanted to know if your crispness ever came back? As in are things as crisp as they were when you wore glasses? I am at the 3 week mark now and that is why I am asking. I am pretty sure I have 20/20 vision but it is not as crisp.
yup, the crispness definitely came back with time. i have the same quality of vision i had with glasses/contacts without the hassle.
i wanted to get an idea from your post since this is keeping my hopes up high because i did my ASA on jan 18th and today is the 21 March. yet i cannot claim that i have crystal clear vision and still have a slight haze or you can say I am not conformable when it comes to standing and trying to view a laptop which makes me highly uncomfortable.
From your post seems like you have done enough research so i wanted to get a view point from your end since my doc is back in India and i cannot fly down to get a suggestion since I am currently in Dubai.
I have communicated with my doc through email, and he stated that generally it doesn’t take so long but however it completely depends on eye to eye on the clarity of the vision. Can i blindly say I will wait till 3 months and if i still continue on having the same vision, i will have to fly down to get it checked.
Did you still have slight haze effect or you could say a slight 3D effect when you had to read a line from a slight distance? does it generally takes about 3 months to get a crystal vision?
my vision now is terrific. i have no issues with haze, a 3d effect, or any other side effects.
and while it took me about three months to fully recover, i can’t say that’s “generally” the case. which makes me not able to say you should fly down in another three months if things don’t get better.
is there not a doctor you can see locally that could at check your healing progress?
the local doc isn’t covered under my insurance card and that’s why aren’t seeking one here. I don’t have any issues in terms on distance reading but somehow it feels really depressing not knowing that this healing is taking its own time.
however i have been wearing specs for about 24 odd years and at the time i did my operation i was having a power of -6 both eyes, so not entire sure if this info helps but lets wait and watch till i complete 3 months in order to actual pursue flying down to get it checked since my doc did mention that it would be better if I could visit him to get it checked.
lets hope that the haze effect gets resolved because I cant make the difference from the day to this day the slight changes that took place as how you mentioned over your blog in depth changes.
I just want to scream THANK YOU for doing this!! I am 3 weeks In and was beginning to think I screwed myself!! you are a blessing! thank you again and will have a little more faith and patience
;) happy to hear my timeline helped!
I am 5 days post op. Only had PRK on right eye as my left is just -0.25 and Dr felt not needed. I am adjusting. I am anticipating 3 months or so to reach 20/20, just so I don’t “over achieve”. Have the blurriness, that feels worse than prior to surgery (I was -2.75) with some double vision. Halos at night. Natural light sensitivity but not to bad inside with artificial lighting. I had a strong astigmatism and that has been corrected completely and that in and of itself is fantastic!
Thank you for your story as it has helped me to know that I appear to be on track.
lucky you to have one good eye to lean on during recovery. ;)
Thank you so much for these posts! I’m at 2 wks post PRK and suffering with blur at distance and up close, similar to what you describe- I can read but it’s not crisp. I find that if I cover part of my eyes and try to “see” through the duplicate hand or finger image, I can see a perfectly clear/crisp image when reading or watching TV. Has anyone else experienced this? It is the weirdest thing but makes me hopeful that the crispness is hiding in my eyes somewhere…just gotta be patient!
yeah, i’m pretty sure that’s a common thing. it’s like squinting. for whatever reason, it makes your vision sharper. (something about being forced to see through a smaller window…)
HI Jennifer, I am on day 14, and I can see the tv as good out of my PRK eye as my lasik eye, I can read better with PRK eye. But, distance is still blurry with PRK eye and lasik is perfect.
Hi! Thank you for your posts! I’m at almost 2 wks post prk and having major blur issues. I.have some hazing and halos but mainly blur which clear considetably with eye drops. I am hoping the blur goes away quickly!
Alex, thanks for this blog. I’m coming up to 3 weeks since my PRK surgery, and over the last couple of days my vision started getting worse than it was a week ago. I knew it would vary between getting better and worse but it’s different when I actually experienced it. It’s great to read your experience as it gives me some point of reference for my healing. Thanks again!
Thank you for discussing your PRK experience. So far it sounds similar to mine. I too was around – 3.25 with slight astigmatism. I am on day 5 post surgery. I had very little pain and discomfort but my vision has declined in the last few days. My contact lense bandages were removed yestersay and the doctor said my eyes look to be healing well but my vision got significantly worse once they were removed. Even though I’ve been warned that it will take a while for my vision to stabilize, I am still nervous that it will never be crisp again. I don’t feel like my vision is good enough to safely drive yet, which is scary because I need to return to work soon. While I feel a little disheartened to hear that it took several weeks for your vision to sharpen, I will try not to panic if things aren’t “perfect” even at the one month mark.
yup. good call. no need to panic yet. and honestly, don’t even give yourself a timeline. let your eyes heal at whatever pace they heal. the less expectations you have, the easier it’ll be to be patient.
How are you doing now Natalie? I am 5 days today with contact removed yesterday. I am feeling the same way you were! But I am back at work and doing well.
Hello Alex,
Thank you for your blog, I have PRK surgery schedule next week, it’s comforting to know most people have positive outcome from comments on your blog. I have question about taking shower after the post-surgery, How long I should wait?(I can’t sleep without taking hot shower every night and I need to take shower in morning to freshen up) also how long I should wait before start exercising?
Thanks, (you blog has been very informative)
hope the surgery goes well!
outside of that first day (when i was sleeping mostly), i was able to take a shower immediately. you should be fine as long as you keep your eyes protected from any unnecessary water exposure.
as for exercising, it probably depends on the type of exercising. if you play volleyball, i would probably recommend against it since it requires good use of your eyes and you risk injury.
but if it’s simply weight training, then you should be fine. overall, i think it’s going to be a judgment call on your part.
physically, you should be fine. it’s just a matter of how critical your eyes will be to exercising.
Thank you!
Hi Alex, I have a PRK question for you or anyone who can answer.. I had PRK done about 5 weeks ago. Something I noticed is that at night when I’m asleep I’m awaken by a “poke” like feeling in my eyes. From talking to my doctor, this seems to be dry eye at nights. I’m fine during the day but at night it happened to me almost everyday. I also googled it and others say this happened to them too and it’s their eye lid sticking to their eye bc of the dryness. I’ve been using drops at night as well as gel drops. Just wondering if anyone else went thru this and if it goes away.
thankfully, i haven’t experienced dry eyes to this extent. but hopefully yours clears up as you heal.
do you have to follow up with the performing doctor in a week after the procedure?
yup. you should have multiple follow-up appointments. IIRC, the week follow-up is to remove the bandage contact lens.
Hello, I did the PRK 6 days ago…and I am very glad I found this because I been freaking out…..I see everything blurry and I when to my fist doc appointment for the removal of the bandage contact….and she gave me contact to see a little better because I have to work and just everything has been hard….I did not do my homework before the procedure and I though that in about a week I would be fine….and seeing all your comments makes me feel better but at the same time I am in a little shock that the recovery is so long…..I guess more or less it would be about 3 moths before I can see again…….ohhh well…. what’s done is done/….I hope I feel later that it was worth it.;… is nice to see that you guys when through it and survived….lol
yup. we’re PRK survivors. ;)
Hello,
1. I did the prk 2 weeks ago, sometimes I see something like “transparent air” everywhere for few seconds, is it because my eyes are dry?
2. Can I have a shower (with washing hair) without the protectors now?
3. I had nightvision problem before the PRK, and I checked it with my little brother: when we slept, I asked him if my eyes are open or closed, and he could see it. I tried the same without success, even now, 2 weeks after the PRK I have the same problem, do you think it will be resolved at the end of the 6 months?
Thanks! :)
I forgot:
4. Before and after PRK, if I concentrate, I see a lot of black dots in the air, is it just me?
1. i’m not sure what the “transparent air” is. so not sure if that’s due to dry eyes.
2. you should be fine taking a shower. i don’t think water getting in the eyes is a concern.
3. can say for sure. i know night vision problems is a potential side effect of PRK. while mine went away, i have a friend who still deals with it. but if you ask her, she says even with the night vision problems, it was still totally worth doing the surgery.
4. i would talk to you doctor about that. never heard of that before.
What affect did this have on your near vision? My near vision is great and I wouldn’t want to trade that off in any way
initially it was blurry. but after 2.5 months it cleared up and near/far vision are terrific!
Did some type of reading glasses solve your near vision/reading the computer during the recovery period?
Also… what is reading the computer like after PRK? For me, reading the computer is blurry/hurts when I wear contacts, but comfortable/ clear wearing glasses
i haven’t had any issues reading a computer since the surgery. and i didn’t use any reading glasses on the computer during recovery. just changed the setting to make everything bigger.
Question: Do you think I’ll be able to pass my drivers lisence eye test in 6 weeks? I got my renewal the day after surgery.
hard to tell. the interesting thing about your situation is only one eye had PRK. i’m guessing your LASIK eye is doing just fine.
so if they test your eyes together, there’s probably a good chance you’ll pass. if they test each eye separately, depending on how your PRK eye is doing, you may not see well enough to pass.
Yes lasik in my right eye. Had a complication during surgery so had to do PRK in the left. Zero trouble with LASIK eye other than not so perfect vision as of yet. Thank you for responding.
I love this post! It shows me there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am only four days out from my surgery and Unlike your experience, I had a lot of pain for the first three days. My tolerance to light has been extreme. Today is the first day I can be in my house without the sunglasses off even though all my shades are drawn. I had Lasik in my right eye and PRK in the left. I must say, even though I had complications with the Lasik, it has been much more tolerable than the one with PRK. Again, thank you for posting this. I know it will get better, it just takes time.
Hi, I really glad I came across this blog. I’m at two weeks tomorrow since my surgery. I didn’t really know what to expect from PRK but reading this blog before AND after the procedure sure did help….Really enjoyed it as well as the comments. Still seeing blurry and just trying to be patient. :-/
welcome to the PRK recovery party where all we do is sit and be patient. ;)
This is by far the very best and most encouraging information I have read since having PRK done exactly 3 weeks ago. I am 50 and had Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) done 6 months ago. My left eye turned out fine, but I had problems with my right eye. I could see far away great, but it was extremely blurry up close. Five months after RLE, my doctor suggested PRK to further correct my right eye. He did tell me the healing process would take a little longer, but nothing he said prepared me for what I have been experiencing. Reading your blog has been very comforting. I still have extremely blurry vision out of my right eye, and quite honestly, it is worse now than before I had PRK done. I too will hurry up and wait like everyone else (he-he). My doctor performed PRK two days before Mother’s Day. I would NOT recommend getting this procedure done if you have anything important to do in the next 5-7 days. The first day after PRK wasn’t too bad, but Mother’s Day was MISERABLE!! I couldn’t see, my eye felt like someone put bleach in it (it burned really, really bad) and it watered non-stop all day. Needless to say, this isn’t something you want to happen during an important event. I couldn’t drive at all either (even with one “good” eye)… Halo’s, starburst and glare at night are still completely out of control. I have also experienced a couple of mornings where I woke up, opened my eye, and felt like someone ripped the surface layer right off of it. I will try drops before bed to see if that helps at all. Left PRK eye is still blurry, and eyesight gets better and then worse throughout the day, especially when on the computer. Here’s to hoping things get better in the next few months! I really enjoyed reading your responses to everyone, you are a funny guy. God bless!
haha. thanks for joining the PRK party. glad this post and everyone’s comments have kept you encouraged!
hello – i am at day 61. had really great vision for the past few weeks. in fact, my vision is so good (short and long distance)) – that most weeks i forget i ever had the surgery. my advice post PRK:
1. choose the best surgeon you can afford
2. make sure they are using the latest or up to date laser technology
3. be PATIENT! PRK takes time! you will find it hard on the computer for 3-6 weeks, perhaps longer
4. relax and enjoy the process. it took a good 5 weeks for me to have really good vision. i now feel that i’m 20/20 or better and the computer vision is great now too.
5. stop reading and panicking about peoples bad experiences.
from reading this site, i feel that a lot of users complain the first few weeks – then drop off and do not give an update. my personal opinion – is that they drop off because your vision becomes so good, you forget you ever had the surgery!
so – be patient and realise it takes time to recover from PRK!
thats my last post – hope it helps! marc
that’s great advice marc! and thanks for coming back to share your progress!
THank you for this. Almost 4 weeks later and I’m not feeling as great as I thought I would be. Have eye pain and can’t read without readers and even then I need to be up close. Dry eyes. The doctor made it seem that I’d be fine in a week. NOT TRUE. I’m pissed.
sorry about that! i find it interesting whenever doctors say you’ll be healed in X-days. given how variable the timeline is, i’d never be confident saying something like that.
hope things get better for you!
I am having my PRK surgery tomorrow (deep breath). A little nervous. A little excited. It has been 31 years of wearing eye glasses and contacts. Thank you for this blog. If you could, I know it has been a few years, please let me know how your eyesight is doing now. Thanks!
Hello. I had my PRK surgery exactly a week ago. I am seeing better than I did without glasses. But I do have bluriness as described. I am hopeful everything improves as time goes on. My recommendation, sleep and rest as much as you can the first 2-3 days. In my personal experience, post PRK surgery was very uncomfortable and I only made it through those first 3 days by sleeping as much as possible. Expect a lot of extreme light sensitivity (FYI: I had to completely dim the brightness on my phone and I still couldn’t see the screen without turning away. ) By day 4 I felt so much better. The uncomfortable feeling WILL go away. Dr. took my contact bandages off yesterday and my vision did become more blurry. I am only expecting my vision to get better as the days pass.
I’m four days out and I know exactly what you mean about that extreme sensitivity to light. Today is the first day I am able to go without wearing the sunglasses even though all my curtains are shut. Now I just wait for the vision to get better and it will all have been worth it ????
my eyesight is doing great! i haven’t had any problems once i fully recovered. it’s still something i think about semi-regularly–how awesome it is not having to wear contacts or glasses!
I am so happy I found this! I had LASIK in 2011 so need PRK to fix some issues I am having and so scared! I am mainly afraid that I will not be able to read email for work, etc. and with the holidays coming up……Just really afraid that I may be making a mistake. Your story did make me feel a bit better because it does seem from other things I read that it takes mostly a month or so to start feeling normal-ish.
yeah, you definitely want to be strategic with the timing of your surgery. you’ll want to be able to take at least a few days off work initially. and ideally be in a season where you’re not doing anything critical with your eyes (like a busy season in work) so that you can take it a little easier.
Hi! I wanted to THANK YOU!! I am now on my 3rd week today and yes, that was rough that first week. I am still having a little double vision but as I have read, it takes time. I can’t figure out reading glasses and have tried all different strengths but nothing is perfect. Your blog has been a huge help because honestly, if I had ONLY read what my Dr. had given me, I would have been DEEPY regretful! Thanks again!
awesome! so happy to hear my timeline was a huge help!
just starting process for PRK. I am Blonde Blue-eyed and I was told my eyes will be more sensitive and more pain. wanted Lasik but corneal too thin. I have extreme astigmatism. will have my surgery Feb 22, 2017
I also had really bad astigmatism (-4.0 in both eyes). It took me a long time to heal and I was quite uncomfortable. In fact, its about 8 months now and I would say I’m still healing and my eyes are still dry and sometimes uncomfortable. I was informed after the fact, that the worse your prescription, the longer it takes to heal.
How is the PRK enhancement working out, Myla?
Thank you so much for this… I’ve been in emotional distress and it’s been 10 days.. I lost work for 2 days and still blurry.. I feel so much better
good! no need to get distressed this early in the recovery!
So happy I read your timeline. I just had PRK done and your timeline put me at ease
hello all – now at day 43, and things are pretty clear – even on the computer. still not 100%, but I can now comfortably work on the computer and my vision outside of the office is really good – I would say getting closer to 20/20! for those of you worried – be patient! its definitely a slow process but very rewarding and not having to wear glasses is a godsend. I had the PRK surgey (here in London called Lasek wavefront) – the epithelium was discarded after my surgery. for those of you thinking about the surgery – go for it, I would just say: research and choose the best surgeon in your area! y ou want to ensure they are using the latest technology and that the surgeon is experienced, in London I chose a doctor at moorfields eye hospital. you have to pay more than other places (£5k versus £3k at some places) – but I think its worth it for your eyes!
anyways just wanted to update
Hows your vision now?
This is such a great read. I’m 2.5weeks in and i’m still really blurry at times.
I’ve been really worrying but reading this makes me feel much much better! Thank you
Thank you so much for this wonderful narrative. I am at week 4 (tomorrow) and have had a very similar experience. Though I am still having blurriness at a distance (i.e. on the freeway and 15ft plus ft from the TV screen. I am still concerned about my vision not improving to where I feel it should be. Time will tell. Thank you.
no problem and you’re right, time will tell! just remember to give yourself much more time than you think you need. ;)
Hello,
I just came across your blog and it rocks :) hehe
Had my PRK a week ago and going tomorrow to get my bandage lenses removed finally , never wore any contacts before so it was wired.
I have or had the perscritpion as you -2.5 and -3.15 :).
Anyways my question and most important thing :) you mention that you sow 20/20 but that the clearness and sharpness of the image was not the same as before with glasses, does that get better, on the same level as it was with the glasses ( the sharpness of the image).
Sorry for my bad English, really really dig the blog and thank you for your time
Best wishes from Serbia ^_^
hi vladislav,
sorry for the delayed replied. been traveling the last nine days. to answer your question, yes, the sharpness does get better. my vision now without glasses is just as good as if i never had surgery but wore glasses.
Oooo Yea Alex that’s what i wanted to hear
So eventually it gets to the level of sharpness and everything as it was like with glasses before just need to be patient and stick it out with the drops my Doctor prescribed
Ok thank you very much this was very reasuring , really really like the blog and thank you very much for your time and answering me back
hello, i wanted to update all in the thread. basically – had PRK surgery 34 days ago. for the first 4 weeks, i saw gradual improvements each day (then slight regressions) – a continuous pattern. however, since stopping the FML/steroid drops 1 week ago, i can feel improvementes in my vision. the computer is a lot more comfortable to be on, and my vision outside the office is really good. in short – i am thrilled with the results only 34 days in. for those posting on these boards after having the surgery or thiking about the surgery – the recovery – by todays standards – is long. the computer will be blurry for weeks (i have read the close up vision is the last to fully recover), and your vision in the real world will be cloud and hazy – but things slowly clear up. i wanted to post again as i can see a lot of posts from people a few days – 30 days post surgery, but then the comments taper off. my personal guess is that after 5 weeks + = peoples vision is so good they essentially forger about this site (no offence alex) and move on with their lives, and they dont post 2, 3 5 months out etc beacuse they are 20/20 or better perhaps. anyways – all this to stay – be patient. this isnt a quick fix surgery, so enjoy the process – your vision gets BETTER every day…its incredible really and its the best thing i’ve ever done for myself in my life. sounds dramatic, but it feels like a miracle to me.
heya mark! thanks so much for giving us a month update. it’s great to get your experience and learn you’re recovering well. it’ll also be another friendly reminder to everyone worried about their recovery timelines. ;)
just a quick update – I am now at day 30 post PRK. I came off the FML drops 2 days ago, and I feel like my visual recovery is progressing (I am now only on lubricating drops). this morning I had the best vision I have ever experienced post PRK, and this morning at the computer was better than usual. However, after 4 hours on the computer I can feel my vision degrading, so its still up and down. Anyways, for any of you recovering – please remember PRK is not a “quick fix” – it takes time. I think if you are considering PRK you must be open to the recovery taking 6+weeks, otherwise you are better off getting Lasik (although personally that surgery has too many potential risks and is very intrusive to the eyes health with the cut). anyways that’s all will update in a couple weeks and hopefully I see gains in that time.
Your eye sight problems is almost EAXCTLY THE SAME. our degree of shortsightedness is around the same range.(ive told i have a tiny bit of astigmatism). I just got PRK 4 days ago.i feel your article could have been written by me.
My bandage contact lenses were remove just 2 to 3 hours ago. I read your article and i feel im seeing my future. Currently my eyes are blury, even with near vision. I hope my boss wont fire me. Has your eye sight regress?
How do you cope with the poor near sight vision and far sight vision?
I have my lights off at home because they hurt my eyes so currently im too scare how i will react to seeing traffic lights and street lights.
I work jn IT, im now worry about how will i do when i get back to work.
Hi Karen, in my opinion, you are really just beginning your PRK recovery. To cope on the computer – pick up a couple pairs of reading glasses – 1 and 2 prescription and increase the font size on your computer. I am 30 days into my recovery, the computer is slowly getting clearer, but I still have a long way to go. keep in mind PRK full vision recovery can take 3 weeks, 3 months or even up to a year – so be patient, the results in the end should be worth it and nothing short of a miracle! good luck
getting PRK is for the pupose if removing my glasses. I guess I need to find another way around it.
using reading glasses early in your recovery isn’t a bad idea. especially since you work on a computer. they help your eyes focus better without putting as much strain on them.
my eyes have not regressed in the last six years.
in terms of coping, mark’s suggestions at a computer are what i’d do. not much you can do with far sight vision/lights. really the best advice is go with the flow and adjust as needed based on how your eyes heal.
thanks Alex. just wondering how old were you in 2010 (I hope you were 30). I found our problem before PRK to be same…scary. And we’re voth asians. I’m hoping age doesn’t play a factor in recovery. I’m noticing that I’m feeling better every time I wake up from sleep. I get tired when my eyes stay open for too long. so far it has been day 5. I guess I just got to go with the flow. it’s good to hear that your sight had not regress.
if mine does regress I guess I have to look on the bright side.
I actually saw everything the surgeon did from the reflection of the lamp that was above my head. I have reason to beleive that lamp was some sort of laser. when they turn it on and tell me to star at it. It smells like a radiator heater heating up.
i was 29 when i had PRK!
hello all – what a great resource for PRK patients. i had lasek wavefront (with the epithelium layer discarded so to some surgeons its identical to a PRK procedure) at Moorfields Hospital here in London. It has been 7 days since my surgery. the first few days were a bit uncomfortable, but nothing unmanageable. i had the bandage contacts out on day 5. so – at present – i’m sitting here at work, but struggling. text is a bit blurry/hazy, and my vision is cloudy in general. when did you find your computer work to become more comfortable? i have the screen resolution high, but still finding it difficult to work and function at the office. any insights appreciated! i’m using all the drops suggested at the correct intervals,but just finding myself squiniting/struggling. the doctor said i could get reading glasses to help see me through this period, ,but i was th inking i should give my eyes more time to recover firstly.
how are things now at a computer? i found i was able to work at a computer, with frequent breaks, between week one and two after surgery.
if you’re still struggling, reading glasses may help as they take some of the load off your eyes.
hi alex, thanks for the check-in. i’m at day 12 now. I am able to work on the computer, albeit with the screen resolution increased. the screen looks blurred, and everything has the appearance of being washed out. however, I should note – in the real world – things are nothing short of magical. I was so frustrated with contact lenses (it got to the point I couldn’t mange to wear them for more than a few hours), and with glasses – I could function fine in the day, but I grew tired of the world onlyh seeing me hidden behind high prescription glasses that made my eyes appear smaller than they actually are. also, last night I think I had a glimpse of things to come – colours appeared vivid and the haze disappeared for a few hours (albeit temporarily). so – i’m struggling at work on the computer, but I’m absolutely loving not having to rely on an object to see – its really special. I got a pair of +1 reading glasses – they seem to make things a bit bigger, but the crispness is still missing (things just bigger but still blurry). anyways – I realise PRK is a journey that I’ve only just begun, I just hope to be able to be comfortable on the computer again soon – but I realise it could take 3 weeks, 3 months or even up to 1 year.
PS: I do find that if I squint – things become quite crisp. not sure if that’s a good sign or not, and I wont be squinting often – but when i’m feeling disheartened I squit and realize that if my vision can get to the point of when I squint all the time – i’ll be happy with my vision
hi alex
i havent done prk surgery…m too scared for it.can u tell me wether ill b able to join work in two weeks time??is dat d vision is clear by then
i can’t say for sure. if you read through some of the comments, you’ll notice the recovery time is really different depending on the person.
my appointment is tmrw.little nervous n excited also
Thank you for writing this. It really helped me feeling more positive about my recovery. I just had PRK about five days ago and I started to become paranoid that my vision is somehow still blurry. I’ve been stressing my self out with negative thoughts such as how if this is the best vision I’ll ever get, but reading your story gave me hope. I just gotta to be patient! Afterall it’s only been five days :)
no problem! hang in there. be patient. five days in is still just a newborn. ;)
I just got my bandage contacts off a few hours ago. I want to test my reading ability ironically i found this. After reading this (5-10min) my eyes are feeling dry and very tiring. I hope my eyes will get better in less than 3 months. I dont know how i can get back to work like this. Cant take 3 months off work.
It’s been almost 5 weeks since my PRK. I can see much better now than I could before without glasses. My vision however is still blurry, particularly at distances. Close up is much better although it lacks fine detail. My vision clears up dramatically when I lubricate with artificial tears which leads me to believe that some of the blurriness is attributed to dryness. I don’t at this point know how much of the blurriness is due to my ‘still healing’ cornea (imperfections on surface that are not yet smoothed out) or how much is due to dryness. I know I do feel quite dry especially when working on a computer. I can’t help having feelings of regret. At least with glasses, I could put them on and see clearly. I’m thinking of going on Restasis to help with the dryness. Has anyone here gone on Restasis while recovering from PRK and did it help?
thanks for dropping in linda. i think it’s too soon to have regrets about your surgery! take heart knowing your close up vision is improving. the detail and distance eyesight should follow shortly. take frequent breaks while you’re at your computer and keep with the eye drops as prescribed by your doctor.
i can’t comment on restasis since i’ve never used it.
Thanks Alex. It is now 3 months since my procedure. Although vision has improved to 20 25, it seems I still have a ways to go. I had a very large correction so I did expect a longer than normal recovery. However, I had no idea that 3 months in and counting… I would still have blurry vision. I still have hope that all will work out in the end. Everyone heals differently. I also decided against Restasis even though my eyes are still quite dry. It’s an immuno suppressant and I’m worried about possible infections while I’m still healing.
What does your doctor say about your progress so far? Are you using other types of drops? Does your doctor know? I’d be curious if that factors in to your healing timeline at all.
so it’s been a few months since my last update, and 7 months since my surgery. I thought I would provided an update. I did end up going on Restasis. My dryness has abated significantly since. My eyes have stabilized at 0.5 astigmatism with zero myopia, which is fantastic given my high prescription before. It was a hard slog. i’m happy it has worked out. but it was not an easy process.
awesome! thanks for coming back and sharing an update!
Hi Linda,
Can you share what your prescription was pre-surgery? Mine is high -6.5, I’m hoping the recovery won’t be so long, but maybe am fooling myself?
Thanks!
HI Amy, I had -3.75 myopia and -4.0 astigmatism. Everyone’s healing is different. Mine took a long time but that doesn’t mean yours will. Good luck.
2 months after PRK my vision is not crisp, especially indoors. Is it normal to still have blurry vision?
i would say it’s still within the “normal” range. when’s your next doctor visit? he/she would be able to give you more details on how well your recovery is going.
Uttara, I am into 6 wks and still not clear. My problem is more outdoor or going to stores with the bright light. Not crisp, especially far away.
I am in my 6 wks also and vision is not clear outdoor at a distance, especially when I go into a place with all those ceiling lights, I cannot focus clearly. There are times I feel discouraged. My next visit is September 6, with the hopes everything clears out by then.
Hi, I have my PRK 10 days ago, And I’m so frustrated and depressed, thinking that maybe doctor do something wrong. I had a large myopia on both eyes (3.75 and 5.25), now I can see better from far (very blured but better), near things is all blured, like I’m having a high astigmatism (like +6) I can read between 20/100 and 20/70 for both eyes. Is this normal? (Before surgery I could see from near better than now without glasses) I’m so anxious and sad. I’m working forcing my sight and with my face so close to the monitor (Is it perjudicial for my recovery?). The vision recovery is one day to another?, or it will be better a little bit day by day. Thanks for the blog and I hope someone could guide and encourage me sharing your experiences.
heya alvaro,
unfortunately, the recovery is day-to-day. what you’re experiencing is pretty normal so take comfort in that. if you read through the comments on this blog, most are pretty similar to yours.
it’ll get better over the next month…
coming on two weeks post surgery, i think you’ll be fine on a computer. rather than put your face close to the monitor, have you tried decreasing the resolution so things appear bigger? that way you can still keep a good distance (and posture) from the screen.
Hi Alex, thanks for your answer and concern, Yes I tried that, but for my job is neccesary to see some things in low size, Working with the compiyer dont give me any discomfort, but I was worried that forcing sight may be perjudicial to my recovery.
I think I’m having a slightly progress this two days, and I hope on wednesday, when I have the Dr.’s check up, everything will be going fine. I’ll update until then. Again Thanks for your blog.
Hi, I have news, my surgery develops into a Keratectasia, and the doctor needs to make me a CXL ASAP (This wednesday), I’m having now a lot of astigmatism in both eyes (+6), and now I am nearsighted (+3) (I’m using again glasses), I dont know what could be wrong in my surgery or maybe the doctor make something wrong,but I didnt enjoy one single day of good vision. I dont know what options do I have
Hi, I have my PRK 10 days ago, And I’m so frustrated and depressed, thinking that maybe doctor do something wrong. I had a large myopia on both eyes (3.75 and 5.25), now I can see better from far (very blured but better), near things is all blured, like I’m having a high astigmatism (like +6) I can read between 20/100 and 20/70 for both eyes. Is this normal? (Before surgery I could see from near better than now without glasses) I’m so anxious and sad. I’m working forcing my sight and with my face so close to the monitor (Is it perjudicial for my recovery?). The vision recovery is one day to another?, or it will be better a little bit day by day. Thanks for the blog and I hope someone could guide and encourage me sharing your experiences.
I am on day 7 today. I was -6.50 in both eyes prior to my surgery. My left eye is crystal clear and sharp as my prior vision with contacts which I am very thankful for as it allowed me to go back to work on day 5. As it seems the case with a lot of others, the eyes are not healing evenly and my right eye is doing significantly worse. When I wake up in the morning it’s close to perfect with just slight blurriness/ghosting at all distances (close and far). As the day goes on, especially in front of a computer, the eye blurs/ghosts significantly and makes it hard to work. I am using non-preservative eyedrops constantly and they usually help momentarily but then the blurriness comes back after a few blinks. Super frustrating and I consider myself a pretty relaxed person but even I am having the initial freakout about my right eye.Having my left eye doing so well I keep on worrying that something went wrong with the surgery on my right eye and all I do all day is compare. I am hoping the contrast between eyes is due to my right eye being drier and cornea more irritated… just bought a humidifier to use at night and holding my breath that my right eye catches up to my left eye. It’s so helpful to read this blog and all the comments and realize you really do have to be patient.
yup, seven days in is still relatively early to become worried. as you mentioned, patience is the key to every person that has gone through PRK. i would also recommend you give you eyes plenty of rest whenever you’re looking at a computer. regular breaks and lower the resolution so things are bigger and easier to read.
Yep, talked to the doctor today and explained my symptoms and he said what I’m experiencing in my right eye is 100% normal and that he’s actually surprised the left eye is so clear at this point. He said not to be surprised if the left actually gets worse before it truly gets better and stabilizes. Feeling better although not looking forward to the nightmare of work and screens until this resolves… Definitely going to try to take as many breaks as possible during the day.
7 week update – Here’s another voice of reassurance; after over a month of significant blurriness, double vision/ghosting and being convinced that something had gone wrong with my right eye (as you can see in my comment above), I would say it has basically entirely caught up to my left eye over the last two weeks. I completely forget about my eye surgery as I go about my day now and am so happy I got this surgery! At this point I can’t believe I lived with glasses/contacts for so long. I would say my vision, especially during the day, is actually improved from pre-surgery with contacts!!! Yes! As someone who had the same prescription in both eyes, and who had the same procedure done by the same doctor on the same day, I am living proof that healing timelines can vary widely. I would say it look my right eye until now (7 weeks) to get to where my left eye was at 1 week… but in the end the results were the same. So for everyone out there freaking out about their eyes after PRK surgery, here’s another voice saying to relax and wait it out: you will most likely end up with excellent vision and eyes that are corneal flap free :).
thanks for coming back and giving us an update! it’ll be reassuring for others to read how healing times can also vary with each eye.
This is helping me so much! I had my consult today and my Dr told me my cornea is thin and LASIK could be done but absolutely no corrective tx in the future. He discussed PRK and it scared me a little. So, all afternoon I’ve googled and googled, I came across this blog and it’s helped my nerves a lot!! I’m -6.25 in left eye and -6.50 in right. I’m a dental hygienist and was curious about work and recovery time! I’m already so blind without glasses/contacts . I was curious about your blurrier was after PRK was done.
welcome brittany! as you’ve probably gathered from reading PRK recoveries, it’s tough to say definitely how you’ll recover. i’m guessing as a hygienist, you need to be able to see clearly to work on people. in that case, you should probably take as much time off as you can. just to give your eyes time to heal, strengthen, and clear up.
are you on a typical dental schedule where you work four days a week? if so, you could always schedule your surgery for your first day off and take the entire next week off. that would give you 10 total days of recovery time while only taking 4 days off.
whether it was founded or not, i was worried of overworking my eyes too early on in the recovery process. so i was pretty intentional about not doing anything that would strain my eyes.
Thank you!! This timeline really helped me make the decision to do PRK Surgery. I’m on my third week and so far the recovery has gone a lot like yours. After wearing glasses for more than 15 years (never liked wearing contacts) I can safely say that this has been one of the best decisions of my life :)
That’s great you can say that after three weeks! I wasn’t confident saying that until closer to three months. But I do agree, was definitely worth going through the recovery process to wake up seeing clearly every day!
I’m thrilled for everyone who had good results from their prk surgery, but not everyone heals at the same speed. I had prk May, 5 2015. It took me nearly 9 -10 months to begin to feel ok. I ended up slightly over- corrected (+1.5 in each eye), but since I started about -10 diopters this was still a huge improvement! The vision wasn’t my main concern at that point. The problem was that my eyes hurt/ached/felt sore for months. For the longest time time I regretted my decision to have prk because it felt like the muscles surrounding my eye “hurt” all the time. I could be content with the overcorrection, but my eyes were the first and last thing I thought about every single day…again because they constantly ached. Around 9 1/2 months I FINALLY began to feel better. I’m happy now, things have dramatically improved over the last month and I no longer regret doing it. Would I do it again? No. My surgeon offered a touch-up for the overcorrection, but it took me WAY too long to get to this point for me to consider doing it again. So, just be aware that the time needed to heal can be much longer than advertised. Again, I know my experience was not typical… but you never think that you will be in that 3% that has less than optimal results. :)
I had surgery on April 8. 2016 on my left eye, since I had astigmatism. Went for a month check up and still could not see the chart clear, the close up is ok but not great. The doctor expected that I was doing 100%, so he gave me another month. Now I am six weeks into recovery and still using the prednisone drops. I cannot explain, seeing better but at a distance when I drive is not crystal clear and when I look at the computer screen, the letters have shadows, like ora around them. Yes, there is that worry in me that my eye will not get better. All I can think about is my eye, the moment I wake up I test to see if the vision is better. Can’t think of anything else. Sometimes I feel like as if maybe I should not have done it.
Hi Maria, How are you doing now? I had my procedure about 2 months after you and I’m now at 3 months post PRK. I was on steroid drops for a total of 9 weeks. I also see shadowy letters on a computer and have ghosting when looking into the distance. I have also experienced achy muscle feeling like Treycer described although mine isn’t constant and just comes and goes Like you, I worry that my eyes will not get better but reading blogs like this and Treycer’s post above have given me hope that things will get better.
Treycer, I am having the same problem that you had regarding the soreness of the eye. It feels as if my eye muscles are aching. Glad to read your post, so I know there is hope.