photorefractive keratectomy
- photorefractive keratectomy
-
▪ surgical method
common surgical method that reshapes the
cornea (the transparent membrane covering the front of the eye (
eye, human)) to improve vision in patients affected by farsightedness (
hyperopia) or nearsightedness (
myopia). In this procedure a local
anesthetic is applied to the eye and a
laser beam is used to sculpt the cornea. Reshaping enables the cornea to focus light on the
retina, which it cannot do in hyperopic or myopic eyes.
PRK differs from other laser-based eye surgeries such as laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (
LASIK) in that it is not an invasive surgery; no incisions are made in the cornea during PRK. However, because a significant amount of corneal tissue is damaged during the reshaping process, the amount of time needed for recovery following PRK is longer relative to LASIK. In addition, patients often experience some discomfort during the healing process. Improvement in vision is often noticeable within several days after surgery, although optimal vision may not occur for several months.
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Universalium.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Photorefractive keratectomy — (PRK) and Laser Assisted Sub Epithelial Keratectomy (or Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis [ [http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byID o=11193 Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) ] Accessed June 30 2008.] ) (LASEK) are laser eye… … Wikipedia
photorefractive keratectomy — pho·to·re·frac·tive keratectomy ri .frak tiv n surgical ablation of part of the corneal surface using an excimer laser in order to correct for myopia abbr. PRK compare RADIAL KERATOTOMY * * * (PRK) see keratectomy * * * … Medical dictionary
photorefractive keratectomy — PRK; see keratectomy … The new mediacal dictionary
photorefractive keratectomy — noun Etymology: keratectomy from kerat + ectomy : surgical removal of part of the corneal surface using an excimer laser in order to correct for myopia compare radial keratotomy herein … Useful english dictionary
photorefractive keratectomy — noun Date: 1986 surgical removal of part of the corneal surface using an excimer laser in order to correct for myopia compare radial keratotomy … New Collegiate Dictionary
photorefractive keratectomy — noun a laser eye surgery technique to correct vision … Wiktionary
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) — A kind of laser eye surgery designed to change the shape of the cornea to eliminate (or reduce) the need for glasses and contact lenses. The laser is used to remove the outer layer of the cornea and flatten the cornea. The flattening of the… … Medical dictionary
Keratectomy — Removal of part of the cornea. This can be done by surgical excision or by laser. One such laser procedure is PRK (photorefractive keratectomy). * * * An operation done to change the refraction of the cornea; a crescentic piece of corneal stroma… … Medical dictionary
keratectomy — n. an operation in which a part of the cornea is removed, usually a superficial layer. This procedure is now frequently done by an excimer laser, either to correct refractive errors (myopia, hypermetropia), by reshaping the surface of the cornea… … The new mediacal dictionary
keratectomy — ˌkerəˈtektəmē noun ( es) Etymology: kerat + ectomy : surgical excision of part of the cornea see photorefractive keratectomy herein * * * keratectomy see kerato … Useful english dictionary
