PRK, eye and vision procedures

PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) is the second most popular laser eye surgery in the United States, behind LASIK. Like LASIK, PRK uses an excimer laser to reshape the cornea. But in  PRK, no corneal flap is created with a microkeratome or femtosecond  laser prior to the corneal reshaping. Instead, the central portion of the thin outer layer of the  cornea (the epithelium) is removed from the eye, usually after being  loosened with a dilute alcohol solution. The excimer laser treatment is  then applied to the underlying corneal tissue (the stroma) to reshape  the eye. After the laser treatment, the cornea is covered with a bandage  contact lens. Within days, new epithelial cells grow back and the  bandage contact is removed.