PRK/RK

PRK and RK are two surgical methods that reshape the cornea to improve vision. These days, RK has been almost completely replaced by PRK.

RK

RK, short for Radial Keratotomy, was the first surgical procedure to successfully treat myopia (nearsightedness). Patients with myopia have steep corneas that bend light too much, making far-away objects appear out of focus. During RK, Dr. Mang makes several deep incisions in the cornea with a diamond-tipped blade. Made in a radial pattern like the spokes of a wheel, these cuts weaken the cornea so it flattens and bends light properly -- helping patients enjoy clear distance vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

RK has many limitations. It is only effective for mild cases of myopia and cannot be used to treat hyperopia (farsightedness). Further, the deep cuts can flatten the cornea too much, causing the patient to develop farsightedness. Modern improvements on the technique, such as Mini-RK or Micro-RK, may reduce the risk of extensive corneal flattening. RK can produce other complications as well, including haze, unstable vision for up to several months, weakened corneas and the need for additional refractive surgery in the future.

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PRK in New Jersey

PRK or Photorefractive Keratectomy is similar to RK in that it reshapes the cornea to improve vision. Beyond that, the two techniques are very different.

Instead of cutting straight through to the bottom of the cornea with a blade, in PRK Dr. Mang uses an excimer laser to burn away a small amount (5%-30%) from the top of the cornea. This preserves the cornea's strength and avoids the risk of developing farsightedness that is associated with RK. Using a laser also means Dr. Mang has greater control over the amount of tissue removed and can thus provide the patient with a much more accurate treatment.

In addition, "sculpting" rather than cutting the cornea makes it possible for PRK to treat greater degrees of myopia as well as hyperopia and astigmatism.

Studies have shown that 90-95% of patients with a correction of up to -6.00 diopters achieve vision of 20/40 after PRK, and up to 70% achieve 20/20. Patients needing less correction generally achieve better results. The risks of PRK include infection, haze, slow healing, scarring, over- or under-correction of the visual condition, and development of astigmatism.

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