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Why PRK and Not Lasik?

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hotshotgunship

Registered User
This is something I'm dying to know. I've heard that PRK is outdated to Lasik? Is that true? If it is than why does the military continue to use PRK as a requirement to fly instead of Lasik? I've also heard that the failure rate for PRK is greater than Lasik? And lastly Whats the procedure for PRK consist of. If you guys can shine some light on this topic, any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
C

Curmudgeon

Registered User
Welcome to the world of the military. It will often seem highly conservative and stuck in the past. Nearly everyone (including military docs) will tell you that Lasik is a better procedure, but there aren't as many years of experience with it. Maybe in a few more years they will accept Lasik. I've heard that you can't actually tell if Lasik has been done in later examinations, but don't have any real knowledge on that.

Read JetJunkies description of his recent PRK experience in the "PRK today" thread.
 
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stevew

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I don't know for sure but from what I've heard the reason why the navy doesn't allow LASIK is because they are afraid the flap will pop open under intense pressure. So if the cocpit depressurises or you eject their could potentialaly be a problem of your flap popping open. Any surgeon would tell you that this is highly unlikely yet the Navy is still concerned about it.
What I've heard from opthomologists is that although there is more of a chance of complications with PRK, those with LASIK are could be much more severe. For example, an infection forming underneath the flap. In that case you could be in royal trouble.
The reason why LASIK has gained popularity so quickly is because it is virtually painless and results are almost immeditate. However unlike PRK, which is a prococedure that has been done for over 20 years, there are no official long term studies that have been done on LASIK. Not to say that something could/couldn't go wrong in the long term, but nobody knows becasue it is relatively new.
However your comment about procedures being outdated is true. The Navy no longer accepts waivers for RK (blades). Only PRK is eligible for a waiver now.

The procedure is quite simple. They take a laser and reshape your cornea so that you can see properly through it.
 
J

Jold

Registered User
About two more years, my friend.
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hotshotgunship

Registered User
Do you know how much PRKs go for??? what does PRK standfor again??? And is there a specfic way the military want the procedure done, or is PRK just one standard operation????
 
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stevew

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Photo Refractive Keratonectomy, there are a few variants of the procedure, one of them is know as LASEK (with an E). All are permitted by the military. The only difference between them is how they clean the cornea before the laser does its thing. One way uses a brush another uses chemicals and a thirs uses alcahol. They don't care how you have it done just that you have all your pre-op, op and post-op paper work. Regarding price I have heard students getting discounts and pay only a couple hundred dollars per eye to arouns $2,000 per eye. The main thing is that you find someone trustworthy to do it because your eyes aren't something you wanna mes with, pilot or not.
 
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