Hello,

I have been researching PRK/LASEK over LASIK on the SE web site. Thank you all for your comments - they have been a great source of information.

I read an article from Dr. Tratter dated Nov 2002 regarding this issue. At that time there were reservations because of haze, but there were comments that indicated things could get better. I am 6 months post-op and am overcorrected from -6.5 to +1.0 in my right eye. I also had an problem with a medium size abrasion and epitheal slough. It took me 4 months to recover from the LASIK to the point where I could see clearly with the +1.0. I have not yet done anything with my -5.5 left eye, but it seems like PRK/LASEK is much better considering my issues (PRK would actually treat the epitheal problem). I do not care if it takes weeks longer to recover than LASIK, I just care about the end result. (I made an earlier post in a different group and everyone seemed to agree).

I am considering PRK/LASEK over my LASIK procedure to fix the +1.0. This would treat my epitehial slough problem, but I have the standard concern with haze. Is there any updated news or stats since 2002 article by Dr. Trattler? I have read there are increased haze risks when the flap is involved. I seems like there are a lot of stories in which the haze was corrected, but how often is it permanent? What is the difference in complications between PRK over LASIK, and PRK to treat my -5.5 eye?

I'm wondering if I should just wait. I may be alone in my thinking, but my guess is that there are a lot of 30 year old patients (I am 42) that will not realize their vision was compromized by LASIK until they are 40. By this I mean that they have an overcorrection that could be accomodated at the time of the procedure, but will make their presbyopia much more noticable. Many patients may be looking into a procedure to correct the problem, and more information on PRK over LASIK may be available.

Thank you very much for your comments

It is not so much a question of being overcorrected. The natural progression of change in the later 40's and 50's is towards farsightedness, so even if patients are not overcorrected, some degree of farsightedness will develop over time.

In answer to your question, I suggest you contact Dr. Trattler directly since he may not pick up on this thread.

I realize that your original post was back in March but I am curious as to the decision making that may have occurred regarding your significant difference in refractive error. Have you been wearing a spectacle correction since Lasik or a contact lens for either or both eyes? Did you wear spectacles or contacts prior to Lasik? Wearing glasses with such a disparity in refractive correction presents a potential problem with diplopia on downward gaze through a multifocal correction. This is due to substantial prismatic imbalance optically created when you look through lenses which would have significant thickness differences. Diplopia would also exist when viewing to extremes in a horizontal plane left or right or upward to the superior margins of the lens unless you were to raise your head to allow your line of sight to be more central. An optical laboratory would create a "slab off prism" to correct the prismatic difference inferiorly (as when you look downward to read) but the potential for double vision through spectacles would continue to be created when viewing left, right or upward with this much of a difference in power to correct your existing refractive error. Wearing contact lenses would likely present the most satisfactory solution as this would significantly eliminate the image size difference between the two eyes and diplopia on extreme gaze.