My PRK / LASIK Eye Surgery Update
The doctor recommended that I go home and go to sleep right away. Many patients don’t do this, unfortunately. I did have a hard time sleeping right away. I mean, it was only 4:00 in the afternoon, which is usually prime time for me, so I had to take the Percocet that I had gotten filled at my local pharmacy. That knocked me right out!
PRK Surgery Recovery- Day by Day
Day 2- I woke up in the middle of the night having no idea what time it was. I couldn’t see anything! It was dark inside my house, and I don’t have an alarm clock (not that I’d be able to see it anyway). My cell phone was too blurry, plus I couldn’t hold my eyes open for longer than a second. Everyone else was asleep, so I couldn’t ask them. I took another Percocet ,as my eyes felt slightly uncomfortable (a normal symptom of PRK eye surgery) and went back to sleep. I put the drops in (Zymaxid- the antibiotic, Predforte- the steroid, and my preservative-free artificial tears) every 4 hours like clockwork, except for the tears which I used every hour on the hour. I spent most of Day 2 sleeping.
Day 3- My eyes won’t open! I had heard that some PRK eye surgery patients experience “weak eyes,” and assumed this was what I was feeling. I tried to hold my eyes open, but they would force close. I literally felt like a blind person for the first few days, using my hands to guide me around my room as the light in the other parts of the house was too bright for my light-sensitive eyes. (Note: Have a family member put thick curtains or bedspreads over your bedroom windows, because even with the lights being out and blinds drawn, your eyes are super-sensitive to light).
Day 4- I couldn’t take not being able to open my eyes, so off to my ophthalmologist I went. She put a numbing / pain-relieving eye drop in to take a look and then gave me some drops to go home with. That did it! I can finally open my eyes again. Thank the Lord. I also wasn’t as light-sensitive and could enjoy my family again. Prior to today, I had been holed up in my bedroom mostly sleeping and “listening” to TV. My vision is improving dramatically and I can see well enough to drive, but I won’t . . . yet.
Day 5- I received a phone call that my friend’s aunt was dying, so off to the hospital I go. I am psyched that I can actually drive without any contacts or glasses (except my super-solar sunglasses I’m wearing). My eyes are constantly dry, so I’ve been using my artificial tears every 30 minutes, instead of every hour. Other than that, things are going great!
Day 6- My eyesight continues to improve each day. I went to have the temporary bandage contacts removed today, but my ophthalmologist didn’t think my corneas were strong enough, so she told me I’d need to continue to wear the contacts through the weekend. A little disappointing, but safety first, right?
Day 7-8- Eyesight is continuing to improve! I spoke with a friend who also had the PRK eye surgery done, just a few days before me as a matter of fact, and she is struggling. Her recovery hasn’t been as quick and she still can’t see that well. This just goes to show that different people heal differently.
Day 9- Got the bandage contacts removed today. Things are even more clear! My ophthalmologist said I’m now seeing 20/30! A HUGE improvement from 20/400 / “off the charts” where I was at before the PRK eye surgery.
Is PRK Eye Surgery for Me?
While I am still continuing to heal, I highly recommend PRK eye surgery to anyone who wants the freedom from glasses and contacts. I had a pretty severe astigmatism and toric contact lenses were very uncomfortable. I have no experience with LASIK, so this blog won’t compare the two, except to say that most doctors agree that PRK is a safer procedure because there is no cutting of the cornea, no flaps.
Of course you should consult with your own eye doctor, more specifically a board-certified ophthalmologist to see if PRK eye surgery is right for you. I’m so glad I did it!
PRK Eye Surgery Video 1
WARNING: I look and sound a little psycho. Watch at your own risk.
Your website made me more calm now that I have decided to go through with PRK. I do work in an an office setting and will be taking off of work for a week to get this done. Doctor said I could go back the week after, im just scared of my computer now lol
Im still slightly nervous about the blurriness but your blog and videos made me feel that much better. I hope my outcome is as great as yours. Thanks for sharing!
I pray it will be! Just follow your doctor’s EXACT instructions. My doc told me many PRK patients don’t do their eye drops as instructed and that makes a HUGE difference. If you can afford the plugs, get those too. It helped me a lot! And REST those eyes. As an author and speaker, I’m constantly on my computer, but never in low light and if I feel my eyes getting tired, I take a break (though that rarely happens). Let me know how it goes!