• Astigmatism
• Antibiotic Medication
• Anti-inflammatory Medication
• Autoimmune Disease
• Bandage Contact Lens
• Cataract
• Collagen Vascular Disease
• Contraindication
• Cornea
• Corneal Abrasion
• Corneal Epithelium
• Corneal Erosion
• Corneal Haze
• Corneal Ulcer
• Diopter
• Epithelial Dots
• Herpes Simplex
• Herpes Zoster
• Immunodeficiency Disease
• Inflammation
• Iritis
• Keratoconus
• Lens
• Monovision
• Myopia
• Nearsightedness
• Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug
(NSAID)
• Ocular Hypertension
• Overcorrection
• Peripheral Epithelial Defect
• Steroid Medication
• Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
• Epithelial Irregularity
• Excimer Laser
• Glaucoma
• Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK)
• Radial Keratotomy (RK)
• Regression
• Retina
• Retinal Vascular Accident
• Starbursts
Astigmatism: a condition of the eye that results in blurred distance and/or near vision. The surfaces of the eye focus the light rays at different points inside the eye. The different points of focus create a blur of parts of objects you see. Back To Top
Antibiotic Medication: a drug used to treat or prevent infection. Your doctor may prescribe this type of medication after PRK surgery. Back To Top
Anti-inflammatory Medication: a drug that reduces inflammation or the body’s reaction to injury or disease. Surgery that alters the eye, such as PRK, can also cause inflammation. Your doctor may prescribe this type of medication after PRK surgery. Back To Top
Autoimmune Disease: a condition in which the body attacks itself that may result in inflammation or swelling of parts of the body; such as muscles, joints, and blood vessels. Examples of this condition are multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis. If you have this type of condition, you should not have PRK surgery. Back To Top
Bandage Contact Lens: a soft contact lens placed on the cornea after surgery to cover the area that was treated with the laser. Back To Top
Cataract: an opacity or clouding of the lens inside the eye that can cause a loss of vision. Back To Top
Collagen Vascular Disease: a condition that may result in inflammation or swelling of parts of the body; such as muscles, joints, and blood vessels. Examples of this type of disease are lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. If you have this type of condition, you should not have PRK surgery. Back To Top
Contraindication: any special condition that results in the treatment being inadvisable. Back To Top
Cornea: the clear front surface of the eye. Surgery such as PRK and RK reshape or flatten this surface to correct distance vision. Back To Top
Corneal Abrasion: a scratch in the outer layer of the cornea often from an eye surgery. Back To Top
Corneal Epithelium: the top layer of the cornea. The doctor removes this layer during PRK surgery. The epithelium then grows back a few days after PRK surgery. Back To Top
Corneal Erosion: a defect in the outer layers of the cornea that may occur without injury. Back To Top
Corneal Haze: a cloudiness of the cornea that may occur after PRK. Corneal Infiltrate: inflammation of the cornea. Back To Top
Corneal Ulcer: an infection of the cornea that may result in a loss of vision. Back To Top
Diopter: a unit used to measure the amount of myopia and astigmatism of an eye. Back To Top
Epithelial Dots: small spots in the outer layer of the cornea that have no effect on vision. lighted object. This symptom may occur after PRK surgery. Back To Top
Herpes Simplex: a type of infection caused by a virus that can recur. This virus typically causes cold sores and/or vesicles to appear on the face or other parts of the body. You should discuss any history of this condition with your doctor before having PRK surgery. Back To Top
Herpes Zoster: a type of infection caused by a virus that can recur. This condition is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus as an adult. Vesicles appear on only one side of the body. You should discuss any history of this condition with your doctor before having PRK surgery. Back To Top
Immunodeficiency Disease: a condition that alters the body's ability to heal. An example is AIDS. If you have this type of condition, you should not have PRK surgery. Back To Top
Inflammation: the body's reaction to injury or disease. Surgery that alters the eye, such as PRK, can also cause inflammation. Back To Top
Iritis: inflammation of the inside of the eye behind the cornea. Back To Top
Keratoconus: a condition of the cornea that results in a thinning of the cornea. A change in corneal shape like a cone typically occurs. If you have this type of condition, you should not have PRK surgery. Back To Top
Lens: a structure inside the eye that helps to focus light onto the back of the eye. Back To Top
Monovision: optical correction of one eye so that it sees clearly in the distance and the other eye so that it sees clearly up close. Back To Top
Myopia: a condition of the eye that results in blurred distance vision. The cornea and lens focus light rays from distant objects in front of the retina. This incorrect focusing of light results in blurred images of objects at a distance. Back To Top
Nearsightedness: another term for myopia. Nearsighted eyes see better at near than at a distance without glasses or contact lenses. Back To Top
Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID): a type of drug that reduces inflammation or the body�s reaction to injury or disease. Your doctor may prescribe this type of medication after PRK. Back To Top
Ocular Hypertension: an increase in the pressure inside the eye. Back To Top
Overcorrection: too much correction after PRK surgery that may cause blurred distance and/or near vision without glasses. Back To Top
Peripheral Epithelial Defect: a piece of the outer layer of the cornea that has torn off leaving a defect. This defect occurs in the periphery or outer part of the cornea. Back To Top
Steroid Medication: a type of drug that reduces inflammation or the body�s reaction to injury or disease. Your doctor may prescribe a steroid for use in the eye after PRK to modify the healing of the cornea. If you are taking this drug for a disease condition, you should not have PRK surgery. Back To Top
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage: an area of bleeding in the outer lining of the eye next to the cornea. This bleeding has no adverse effects and resolves on its own. Back To Top
Epithelial Irregularity: an area of the outer layer of the cornea that is not smooth. Back To Top
Excimer Laser: a type of laser used in PRK that removes tissue from the cornea. Back To Top
Glaucoma: a condition usually associated with high eye pressure. This condition results in damage to the nerve at the back of the eye and possible loss of vision. Halos: circular flares or rings of light that may appear around a headlight or other. Back To Top
Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK): a type of surgery used to correct vision by reshaping the cornea using an excimer laser. Back To Top
Radial Keratotomy (RK): a type of surgery used to correct vision by flattening the cornea with a scalpel. Back To Top
Regression: a decrease in the amount of vision correction after PRK surgery. Back To Top
Retina: the black surface of the eye. The retina takes focused light and transfers it to the brain. Back To Top
Retinal Vascular Accident: blockage of a blood vessel in the back of the eye. Back To Top
Starbursts: Flares of light seen around a lighted object that may appear like a star. This symptom is similar to halos and may occur after PRK surgery. Back To Top