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PRK
Cataract & Refractive Surgery
Key Points
- •PRK is the gold standard surface ablation technique - preferred over LASIK for thin corneas, EBMD, contact sports, and military/law enforcement personnel.
- •Mitomycin C 0.02% applied for 20–40 seconds intraoperatively is essential to prevent subepithelial haze, especially for corrections > -3 D.
- •Visual recovery is slower than LASIK (functional vision in 1–2 weeks, stable by 3–6 months) but final outcomes are equivalent for low-to-moderate myopia.
- •PRK preserves more corneal biomechanical strength than LASIK and has a lower risk of ectasia, making it the safer choice for borderline corneas.
- •A prolonged topical steroid taper (2–4 months) is essential after PRK to prevent haze and regression - this is a key difference from the shorter LASIK steroid course.
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- Definition
- Epidemiology
- Aetiology and causes
- Pathogenesis
- Classification
- Risk factors and associations