My PRK Surgery Journey | Sixty Day Follow Up

This post is in partnership with EyeCare 20/20. 

If you’ve been thinking about getting LASIK only to be told you weren’t a candidate like I was, you probably learned what you were a candidate for – PRK Surgery. It’s been 60 days since I had my PRK surgery and while I had planned on posting a 30-day follow up, I just wasn’t ready. To say this procedure has been life changing would be an understatement. Prior to my surgery, I wore contacts (and glasses occasionally) for as long as I could remember. In fact, I don’t remember a time when I didn’t wear them, it’s been that long and without them, I couldn’t see much of anything. So just the fact that I can see all around me is nothing short of amazing.

One thing I get asked about a lot is the pain. Well, I’ll be the first to tell you this entire procedure has been pain free. Everything from the actual procedure to the recovery has been pain free.

At one of my follow up appointments with Dr. SIlverman at EyeCare 20/20

Vision quality on the other hand has been a work in progress. Dr. Silverman said to me many times, that it’s a longer recovery period and it couldn’t take anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months to achieve 20/20 vision.

At sixty days out, I’m still working my way there. My right is is 20/40 and my left eye is 20/50. Now that’s a HUGE improvement as to what I saw before the surgery. HUGE, but I’m not at 20/20 just yet.

I can see all around me. I can drive and see street signs and traffic signs that I would have never seen before without my contacts but it took a few weeks to get there.

In the first month, I didn’t drive much, if at all. My husband handled all of the driving mostly because things were a little blurry and I was still sensitive to light even with the darkest sunglasses I could find.

Celebrating the all clear to drive again!

After the first month, a lot of the vision issues went away but I struggled with the computer – a lot. Since there was a difference in my vision between the left and right eye, that seemed to bother me but it was the light from the screen and just the fact my eyes seemed to not be able to handle the screen very well at all.

At my last appointment with Dr. Silverman, I explained my issues and he told me what he told me before, it’s all normal and it just takes time to heal from PRK.  He recommended I try some reading glasses to help with the computer and that’s worked amazingly. That simple suggestion got me back to work and I only use them as needed when I’m on the computer, not for anything else. In time, I won’t need them at all but while I’m still healing, it allows me to get work done. After all, my work is online.

I’ve met a few people who have had this procedure over the last few weeks. One gentleman I met in the grocery store told me it took him about a month and a half before he hit 20/20 while another woman told me it took her a good three months.

Everyone just heals differently and it’s a slower process. If you’ve been thinking of getting PRK Surgery, I can tell you it has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. Trusting Dr. Silverman with my vision, despite the healing process, has been amazing.

Never did I think I would be able to see without my contacts. This picture I’m smiling because I can actually see myself in the eye exam room. Something that I could never do before. Some days I have to pinch myself and remind myself that I can see across the room or down the street and it’s not a dream.

If you’re ready to change your life and get the vision you’ve always dreamed about, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Silverman at EyeCare 20/20 today. You won’t be disappointed.

You can read more about my PRK journey here and here.

Dawn