PRK is performed with an extremely precise computer-assisted
laser, making this refractive procedure fully automated as well
as the most technically advanced. Before its approval, ophthalmologists
thoroughly researched and tested this procedure from 1989-1995,
meeting the strict guidelines of the federal Food & Drug Administration.
Our ophthalmologists utilize the excimer laser
to reduce or alter the shape of the cornea so light rays can focus
sharply on the retina. The laser sculpts the cornea’s surface
by using a cold light beam to remove cell tissue from the cornea’s
surface-one molecular layer at a time. These molecular layers are
less than 1/10th the width of a human hair. This process of cell
removal is termed ablation, and the amount of ablation needed in
each laser procedure is dependent on the type of refractive error
being corrected.
