When someone is considering laser eye surgery, they are almost always considering one of two options, LASIK or PRK.  Virtually everyone has heard of LASIK, to the point where "LASIK" and "Laser Eye Surgery" have the same meaning in many people's minds.  PRK is very similar, since it is indeed also done with a laser, but there are some differences to consider as you think about which to have.

LASIK

LASIK is an acrnoym that stands for Laser Assisted in-SItu Keratomileusis.  Kind of just rolls off the toungue, I know.  It's the process of using a laser to change the shape of the cornea to correct problems focusing.  It's helpful with people who are near-sighted, far-sighted, or suffer from astigmatism.  It is the most common of the laser surgeries people are having on their eyes, and most of those who have had it consider it to be an "eye miracle" allowing the blind to see.  People who are dependent on glasses or contact now have natural vision that can be better than the vision that they had with corrective lenses.  In addition, the effects are often immediate, and many people report a signficant improvement in sight right after the procedure. 

Some very famous people have had LASIK, such as Tiger Woods and other professional athletes.  And these are people for whom having perfect, or better than perfect, vision is crucial to their well-being.

PRK

PRK stands for “Photorefractive Keratectomy,” not much more of a fun phrase.  It is also a laser procedure that changes the shape of the cornea, just like LASIK.  The difference is that PRK doesn't require the cutting of a flap in the eye, like LASIK does. Instead, the outer surface of the eye is destroyed using the laser.  This can actually cause some discomfort and increase the healing time for the procedure.  However, it doesn't require any actual cutting of the eye.  Because of this, there are people for whom LASIK isn't an option, but PRK is.  In my experience, no one's first choice is PRK, but if you are in a situation where you have to get it, it's not a bad second choice. 


Both procedures have happy patients, and people have reported excellent outcomes using either type of laser surgery.  The type of surgery you choose is one you should consider with your doctor or ophthalmologist, and differs by the individual situation.  Virtually all laser eye centers have free or low-cost consultation, to determine if you are a candidate for surgery, and if so, which is better in your situation.