PRK Surgery
PRK is a laser vision correction procedure in which the cornea’s surface layer is removed and the tissue beneath is reshaped, with no flap created at any stage.
Speak to a specialist about PRK Surgery in Agartala.
What is PRK Surgery?
PRK is a laser vision correction procedure in which the cornea’s surface layer is removed and the tissue beneath is reshaped, with no flap created at any stage.
Also known as: Photorefractive keratectomy · Surface ablation · Trans-PRK · No-flap laser
PRK is the flapless option. Recovery takes longer and the first week is genuinely uncomfortable, but because no flap is ever made, there is no flap to displace — which matters enormously for some patients.
Book a consultation
Talk to our specialist about PRK Surgery.
Call 8583948238 or message on WhatsApp- Location
- Colonel Chowmuhani, Agartala
- Serving
- All 8 districts of Tripura
- Cashless
- TPA & insurance
PRK is often the better choice for
- Corneas too thin to safely accommodate a LASIK flap
- Boxers, wrestlers, martial artists and contact-sport players
- Armed forces, police and other roles with a real risk of blunt eye trauma
- Eyes with a slightly irregular or borderline topography where a flap adds risk
- Patients with recurrent corneal erosion, where surface treatment can help the underlying problem
What happens to the cornea
- The epithelium — the cornea’s outermost skin-like layer — is removed, by alcohol, a brush or the laser itself
- The excimer laser reshapes the exposed surface to the required correction
- A bandage contact lens is placed while the epithelium regrows over three to five days
- The regrown surface layer heals back naturally; no permanent flap interface is left behind
Treatment options at Wills Eye
Trans-PRK
A single-step, no-touch technique where the laser removes the epithelium and performs the correction in one pass.
Mitomycin-C application
Used in selected higher corrections to reduce the chance of corneal haze during healing.
Bandage lens and pain control
A therapeutic soft lens plus a planned analgesia and lubrication regimen to get you comfortably through the first week.
What to expect — step by step
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1
Workup
Identical to the LASIK evaluation — topography, pachymetry, dilated refraction and tear film assessment.
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2
Treatment
A few minutes per eye under topical anaesthesia. The laser time itself is similar to LASIK.
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3
Days one to four
The difficult part: watering, light sensitivity and a gritty ache while the surface heals. Rest, dark glasses and prescribed drops.
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4
Lens removal
The bandage lens is removed once the surface has closed, usually on day four or five, after which comfort improves quickly.
Recovery & aftercare
Vision is blurred for about a week and then improves steadily, reaching its best at one to three months — slower than LASIK, but ending at a comparable place. Steroid drops are tapered over several weeks and must not be stopped or extended without review, because they influence both haze and eye pressure. Strict sun protection is important during healing.
Why timing matters
If your job or sport involves a real chance of a blow to the eye, the flapless approach is not a compromise — it is the correct decision. A LASIK flap never fully bonds back to full strength, and PRK removes that concern entirely.
PRK Surgery — frequently asked questions
Is PRK more painful than LASIK? +
Yes, for the first three to five days while the surface layer regrows. After that, comfort is similar. The final vision is comparable to LASIK.
How long until I can drive after PRK? +
Usually one to two weeks, once vision has stabilised enough to meet the legal standard. Night driving may take longer.
Is PRK an older, outdated procedure? +
No. It remains the preferred option for thin corneas and trauma-prone occupations, and modern trans-PRK techniques have improved both comfort and results.
Can PRK cause corneal haze? +
It is uncommon at moderate corrections and is further reduced by mitomycin-C in higher ones. Sun protection and taking the steroid drops as instructed matter here.
More in Vision Correction & Spectacle Removal
This page is written for general information about prk surgery and is not a substitute for examination and advice from a qualified eye doctor. Treatment recommendations depend on your individual findings.
Related treatments
Conditions and procedures often assessed alongside prk surgery.
LASIK Surgery
LASIK is a laser eye surgery in which a thin flap is raised on the cornea and an excimer laser reshapes the tissue underneath to correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism.
Learn more →
Refractive Surgery (Spectacle Removal)
Refractive surgery is the group of procedures — including LASIK, PRK, Contoura and ICL — that changes how the eye focuses light so a person can see clearly without glasses or contact lenses.
Learn more →
Keratoconus Treatment
Keratoconus is a progressive condition in which the cornea thins and bulges forward into a cone shape, distorting vision in a way that ordinary glasses cannot fully correct.
Learn more →