Q) Is it better for me to undergo PRK instead of LASIK because I have thin corneas and what is the healing time? Both of my corneas are a thickness of 470 and 472 and I have small congenital cataracts, so my doctor recommended I get PRK instead of LASIK. She said that I am a good candidate and explained that I won’t be able to get an enhancement because my corneas are so thin. I was also told that my eyes could go back to the prescription they are now in five to ten years. Can this really happen and is it safe for me to get this procedure? How long is the healing time?

PRK stands for photo refractive keratotomy. ASA, advanced surface ablation, is the modern version of PRK with Customvue technology. It is an all laser vision correction procedure that is used for people who are not candidates for Lasik (those with thin corneas, some members of the military or who people who enjoy contact sports). Instead of creating a flap, the laser is used to reshape the cornea, just like in LASIK. The main difference is that the flap consists of only the outer layer of cell, epithelium, rather than about 1/3 thickness of the front surface, known as the cornea.