I had PRK surgery with Boston Vision as part of a Monovision procedure. I had lasik performed previously 20-years ago and wanted an improvement after deterioriation in recent years. The staff were friendly and professional and the care and surgery were very clearly explained and performed. Very professional.

One week in, my vision is still a bit blurry, but I’m able to drive. The procedure itself was quick and painless—it felt like I was in and out of the operating room in about five minutes. Day 2 was the worst, with some discomfort in the eye, but it improved by Day 3 and was completely gone by Day 4.

So far so good! I will update when my eyes recover further. Day 7.

Good experience. Be prepared for some pain day 3– other than that, good.

I had PRK just over a week ago and the healing process has been smooth. The worst light sensitivity was on days 3 and 4 after. Some bluriness persists, but it got significantly better once the contact was removed. Luckily, I haven't had to deal with very dry eyes and the drops help. The first week there wasn't much pain or discomfort; a couple headaches but very manageable. I work a desk job and staring at the computer screens was definitely tough throughout the week. Overall, I would recommend PRK to anyone and look forward to the continued healing!

The process itself is quick. I think about 20 seconds per eye. I did both eyes at the same time. I slept after I did it when I got home and kept my eyes closed for most of the first day. The next day I had inporved vision. 2 days later I did have some pain, particularly at night. It feels like your eyes are burning. It's manageable and once you sleep it doesn't keep you up. They give you numbing drops if you really need them. I was suprised by how bad my reading (far sightedness became. It took a full 5 days before I felt like I could do work at the computer and at day 6 I finally felt like it was actually back to work realistically normally with my "old man" settings on my work computer. The vision does come and go either way haziness or double vision but it is manageable after a few days. I had my surgery on a Freddy and truely needed Monday and Tuesday off. I almost took Wednesday off to, but managed to go in and get some work done.

My ICL surgery with Dr. Brenner went very well. It was a remarkably quick procedure - around 10 minutes on the table for both eyes. The recovery was easy. I had very minimal soreness for two days following and some dry eye that was relieved with OTC drops. I saw 20/20 (r) and 20/25 (L) the day after my surgery.

I had my procedure on March 3rd with Dr. Gregoire. He and his staff were professional and friendly, and they answered all of my questions and concerns leading up to and on the day of my procedure. The procedure itself took only 10 minutes, and I felt no pain or discomfort. The first week, I experienced fluctuation with my vision and light sensitivity, which is common and expected. After week four, I was able to see clearly with 20/15 vision. I highly recommend this procedure.

I had PRK surgery around 6 weeks ago and I’m almost at 20/20 vision. I had a positive experience during the surgery (which lasted around 10 minutes). I realized, when I returned the next day for post op appointment, that my left eye had spit out the contact almost immediately. The first night was rough for my left eye but my right eye felt fine. I’d recommend calling them asap if you think your contact fell out - it’s pretty obvious since it’s pretty uncomfortable. I was able to see about 4 days later and now making good progress. Very happy I got it done!

I had PRK surgery with Dr Brenner about 1 week ago. The whole process was very smooth and fast. The techs that did my testing were very nice and professional and explained every step to me. By the time I got called in the OR I knew what to expect. The procedure itself took about 10 minutes and my vision was already better. The first 72 hours I experienced some fluctuation in my vision (which was expected) and by day 5 I could see well enough to go around. By this point I am back at work without feeling any pain or discomfort. Dr Dy saw me for my post-op visit and inserted plugs to help with the dryness and I haven't been needing artificial tears as often. I highly recommend this practice and this procedure.

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I underwent PRK surgery. The procedure was extremely quick. The entire staff was friendly and professional; the assistants explained every step to me during the procedure. I was afraid I would feel the laser, but I didn't; I only heard the sound of the machine and nothing else. As soon as I got up from the table, I could already see, although I was sensitive to light. Over the next two days, my light sensitivity increased, as my pupils remained dilated and the therapeutic contact lenses were trying to settle in. Today is my third day; I feel really good and am seeing with greater clarity. Now I am waiting for the day when my contact lenses will be removed

I had CLE LASIK surgery in December, and overall, my experience has been very positive. From the start, the doctors and staff were professional, attentive, and reassuring throughout the entire process. The post-surgery plan included follow-up adjustments over four weeks, which gave me confidence that my vision would be carefully monitored and fine-tuned. As it turned out, I felt ready by the third adjustment, and my vision had already improved significantly by then. I did the monovision setup, with one eye optimized for distance and the other for near vision. That required time to adapt, but now, it genuinely feels like I have “20/20” vision, everything is clear and sharp. That said, since this is new for me, I’m still getting used to what “normal” should feel like after the procedure. Overall, I’m very pleased with both the results and the level of care I received, and I would absolutely recommend this experience to others considering the procedure.

So far so good! Everything from initial consultation, to booking, paperwork, the procedure, and follow up has been incredibly simple and seamless. Healing has gone as expected, and while I am still waiting for my vision to fully stabilize, but I’ve got some promising results thus far and look forward to the next few weeks as my eyes continue to adjust.

Boston Vision made the entire process incredibly smooth! The prep information was super helpful, as was the consult. The thoroughness with which they assess your best options for a path forward indicates how the team truly cares about each individual patients satisfaction. The procedure itself was quick and painless—discomfort was only experienced for about 3 hours post surgery (similar to having sunscreen irritating your eye but you can’t do anything about it). By hour 4, I was up and moving around and could see even more clearly than before.

~ 2 weeks post surgery. The vision is improved but still somewhat blurry. The videos provided by Boston Vision do not go to enough details of the exact steps or what to expect during the procedure, such as there will be burning smells during the surgery. It is overall painless, but do expect plenty short and quick commends, which some might have interpreted as rude or harsh, such as "don't move your eyes".

The whole prep experience was really fantastic- I felt well supported through the examination and procedure selection process. The day of surgery I felt well taken care of- everyone seemed to be very well versed in their roles and things went smoothly. The procedure itself was quick and painless. I had no discomfort until day 2 where I felt like I wanted to rip my eyes out. This is primarily my own fault for not getting ahead of the pain like I was instructed to do. As someone who has had an ACL reconstruction, several passed kidney stones and a Lithotripsy, I really thought this wouldn’t be a big deal and boy was I wrong. The more you can keep your eyes closed the better. Stay on top of the pain and use those eye drops like they’re going out of style. By day 4 I was out of pain and just experiencing some mild dryness and intermittent blurriness. It took about 3 days for my pupils to regulate out of dilation, so I strongly recommend sunglasses indoors and out. My vision prior to PRK was -3.75 with an astigmatism, by day 4 I was already experiencing improved vision. Definitely an undertaking and would highly recommend taking off work for a week unless you have an easy phon-it-in job in which case you can probably return day 4 or 5 post op. Overall five stars.

I had a very pleasant experience getting my PRK surgery at Boston Vision. The evaluation, the surgery and the recovery had been super smooth. My healing went great and I couldn't be any happier with the whole experience. I am looking forward to my next follow-up. If you're on the fence about it, I wouldn't wait. Go for it and feel freer.

I recently had my first cataract/astigmatism correction surgery on my right eye at Boston Vision in Milford with Dr. Brenner. From start to finish, beginning with front desk reception in Milford, Janelle in surgical scheduling, to the staff that assisted prior to surgery, to Dr. Brenner performing the surgery, five stars all around. Seamless, professional, informative, and just a positive experience with an amazing outcome! I will be doing the same surgery on my left eye in the near future with Boston Vision.

I recently had PRK performed at Boston Vision for my astigmatism and overall had a positive experience, though there were a few aspects that ultimately led me to rate it 4 stars instead of 5. From my initial consultation through the day of the procedure, every staff member I interacted with was friendly, professional, and welcoming. The facility was very clean and well maintained, which immediately gave me confidence in the practice. I originally visited Boston Vision because, during my research, I learned they offered topography-guided Contoura Vision. During my consultation, I was instead introduced to WaveLight Plus, described as the latest technology using AI and ray tracing, and was told that Boston Laser was the only center in Boston offering this platform and that I was an eligible candidate. I was deciding between two laser centers, and the availability of WaveLight Plus ultimately tipped the scales in their favor. I also appreciated Dr. Gao’s recommendation to perform PRK on only one eye, explaining that treating the other eye would likely provide minimal benefit and that preserving it could help maintain some reading vision later in life. That advice felt thoughtful, conservative, and not sales-driven, which gave me a good feeling about the practice. On the day of the procedure, I arrived about 15 minutes early for my 8:10am appointment but was not seen until around 8:40am. From there, re-scans, meeting with Dr. Melki, and pre-op preparation took roughly three hours, with the actual procedure beginning around noon. The wait was longer than expected, so I would recommend future patients plan their day accordingly. The main reason for the 4-star rating, however, was that on the day of surgery I was informed that I was no longer eligible for WaveLight Plus. The re-scans placed me just +0.25 outside of the approved operating window, which was described as negligible and possibly scan noise. I genuinely appreciated that Dr. Melki tried to override the system on my behalf, but ultimately I was left with the choice of proceeding with WaveLight Optimized or going home to reconsider treatment at the other center. Because I had already made work and travel arrangements, I chose to move forward with WaveLight Optimized. While I understand and respect safety cutoffs, the situation did leave me feeling a bit like I experienced a bait-and-switch, given that WaveLight Plus was a significant factor in choosing Boston Vision in the first place. That said, the procedure itself was completely painless and took less than five minutes. The surgical team was calm, reassuring, and professional throughout. Time will tell how my final visual outcome turns out, but I’m hopeful my vision will be 20/20 or better regardless of the technology used. Overall, Boston Vision is a high-quality practice with excellent staff and physicians. Clearer communication around technology eligibility (and potential changes) earlier in the process would have made this a five-star experience.

Overall, it was a very good experience. I was originally scheduled for Monovision LASIK. However, in my pre-op examination, Dr. Melki determined that the shape of my cornea was not ideal for LASIK and decided to go with PRK. The PRK recovery timeline is much longer. The surgery itself was very quick (~15 min) and not painful. I had light sensitivity for a few days and some discomfort the following day, but nothing too bad. Vision returned to 20/15 after 10 days. I am now 3 weeks post procedure and am still dealing with some "ghosting" or double vision of letters at a distance. I have done some research, and that is expected to subside about 8 weeks post - op.

My experience at Boston Vision was overall fairly positive. I found the email instructions and documentation confusing and conflicting at times, but all the employees were very supportive and open to answering questions, and felt very professional. The procedure itself went well: it was quick, and recovery involved only one uncomfortable day (mainly light sensitivity) and approximately a week of blurry vision that eventually stabilized.

I got my PRK done 2/6/26 with Dr,Melki , I initially went in expecting to have LASIK done but the day of my surgery they said PRK is more ideal for me to do, which was a bit discouraging for me because I had done a lot of research on lasik prior to my visit, the first 4 days were very uncomfortable, the discomfort and pain was gone by day 6, it has been almost 3 weeks and my vision is very good a bit blurry at times and focusing can sometimes be difficult but overall, I love it, and I can finally see without my glasses or contacts. I definitely recommend doing it, but make sure to find out what is the best one for you Lasik or PRK

I can’t say enough good things about my experience. The team at Boston Vision was transparent about what to expect, persistent in communications, and has the client experience and operational logistics nailed.

My eyes were near-sighted with noticeable astigmatism. My prescription was OD: -4.25, -0.75, 065, and OS:-4.00, -1.50, 160. I got my consultation with Boston Vision in early 2025 and was told that I was a good candidate for PRK, but not LASIK, based on the shape and thickness of my cornea. Due to my work schedule, it was not until mid-November last year that I knew that I could take 3 weeks off around Christmas for the surgery and recovery. Boston Vision was super accommodating - we had all the communications via phone calls and emails, and they were able to send me the contracts and schedule my surgery right way. I got all the pre-op and post-op guidelines via email and read the reviews on howdiditgo and reddit and felt ready albeit slightly nervous. On the day of surgery December 19, 2025, I came to the Boston Vision in Brookline and felt assured as my eyes got thoroughly examined by the staff before the surgery. A staff then went over the post-op medications and care with me. I also got to meet Dr. Melki briefly to confirm that PRK was still the right option. I was then given the option of taking a Xanax pill before moved to the op room. The surgery itself was super quick and painless. I was in and out of the op room within 15 mins, with the actual PRK procedure happened probably in 5-10 mins. The staff also let me choose my favorite music in the background. I was told to keep the bandaid contact lenses on all the time for a week and apply the medicated eye drop and artificial tears as noted in the post-op materials. Everything happened exactly as explained by the staff and expected from the pre-op materials. In terms of vision progress, I would say the first week right after the surgery was pretty rough. In the first four days, my eyes was dry, blurry, and sensitive to the light all the time, and it felt like there was a hair stuck on my eyes all the time. In addition, because I couldn't wash my eyes and face at all, there was some serious buildup around my eyes from the eye drops. Things started to get better and more comfortable after the fourth day. My vision still fluctuated throughout the day, but I could get some seriously good vision right after I woke up in the morning. My first post-op was on the eighth day after the surgery, and my optometrist confirmed that my eye recovery was going well. In the next two weeks, my vision still fluctuated but I was able to go on my life as normal. By the third week, I was able to drive to work and work on computer for 8+ hours a day. By the fifth week, my eyes were clear 90% of wake time and did not need constant application of eye drops throughout the day. Overall, I'm very happy with the experience with Boston Vision.

I've been contemplating laser vision for years and years and I'm glad that I went finally through with it. I had prk done 8 days ago. Overall it went very smoothly, the first couple of days I had mild pain which was managed with Tylenol, and then 3 days after I woke up with no pain at all. Towards the 6th/7th day as long as the protective contact lense wasn't dry I was seeing 20/15. Right after the lens was taken out my vision regressed which is normal, as the surface of the eye is fresh and will naturally smoothen out as it continues to heal and as I blink over the next couple of weeks. The next day after I woke up I could already see it start to improve, and am very excited to be seeing perfect. My only side effect is just some increased glare which will continue to improve as time goes on, and even if it doesn't I'm still happy with the procedure. The team at Boston Vision is great, the technology is great, overall I very recommend it.

I got PRK around Nov 20 2025. I did a check in 45 days later in early Jan and I'm up to 20/15 vision! At this point I have mild dry eyes which is very manageable with drops. Other than that, no issues!

Had a consult in October was told I was good for lasik. Day of surgery, had pictures of my eyes taken again, 5 mins before surgery Dr.Melki wanted to do a final picture, then to find out the prk was the better option. I was totally not prepared for prk but did it anyways because I was desperate for 20/20 vision. Otherwise, everything else was smooth. Didn’t experience pain until day 3 (felt like chopping onions). Almost 2 weeks after surgery and things are still a bit blurry. I also had Monovision done.

I have been having trouble seeing distance for more than a decade and I don't wear glasses. I was a little scared by the potential consequences of doing Lasik or PRK like dry eyes or having blurriness for the rest of my life. The doctor and this website were very helpful and honest about the experience and talked me into it. The procedure was surprisingly easy and quick and painless, and right after procedure I can already see 20/20 (but can't see things near for some reason). The first two days were mostly painless, but on my third day I caught a bit of cold and the mucus irritated the eyes a little, which was ok but kept me away from works for another two days. Now I'm two weeks in and both eyes are 20/20 but they still get a little blurry at the end of the days, but are improving. Definitely recommend this procedure if finance is not a concern, and even for PRK the recovery was not that bad for me.

I consulted with Boston Vision twice this year and ultimately decided to proceed with PRK surgery, as my corneas are thinner than average. Before the procedure, I was a bit nervous; however, the medication and the calm, professional atmosphere at Boston Vision helped me relax. Dr. Brenner performed the surgery very quickly, and I did not experience any pain at all—it simply felt like a gentle breeze against my face. The first two days after surgery were manageable, but days three and four were more challenging. My eyes felt sore, and I had difficulty opening them fully, so I spent most of that time resting and sleeping, which I believe aided my recovery. I did not use the pain-relief eye drops because I did not experience pain, only soreness. Starting on the fifth day, my condition improved steadily each day. I was able to return to my normal daily routine after about a week and a half, and I am optimistic about achieving 20/20 vision within one to two months. If you are considering vision correction surgery, I highly recommend scheduling a consultation with Boston Vision to learn more about the available options, the procedure, and post-operative recovery. Having a clear understanding of the process will help you make an informed and confident decision.

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I wore contact lenses daily for over 15 years despite an extremely active lifestyle. I'm impressed with how long I put up with wearing contacts given the extra care that I had to take during activities like long mountain climbs and camping trips with limited to no access to running water. Once my eyes finally stabilized, I chose Boston Vision. I consulted with Dr. Melki, and Dr. Brenner did my PRK surgery. I expected PRK recovery would be tougher than LASIK and the first four days were indeed rough, but day five was noticeably better. I’m still early in recovery but fully trust the team at Boston Vision.

I had PRK surgery and it went great!

I had PRK with Dr. Melki in October, and my vision is incredible now! I will say, the first four days after PRK were pretty brutal and I don't think I was mentally prepared for that. I experienced horrible burning and light sensitivity, and I was scared I made a mistake. I wish I would have been more prepared for that, but otherwise the experience overall went really well.

I had been interested in vision correction surgery for several years and finally scheduled a consultation. I went into my consultation open to learning more about my options and ultimately was recommended PRK. The consultation felt thorough, and I was given plenty of opportunities to ask questions and fully understand the procedure and recovery process. On the day of surgery, I arrived early and went through several of the same tests performed during the consultation to confirm my measurements. I was offered medication to help with anxiety beforehand, which I declined at the time but later wished I had taken. Once in the operating room, the procedure itself was very quick, taking only a few minutes per eye. The most uncomfortable parts were having my eyelashes taped down and the device used to keep my eyelids open. Once the numbing drops were applied, I didn’t feel any pain—just pressure. Immediately after the procedure, my vision wasn’t bad, and I was able to walk on my own to my ride and into my house. After my first nap, my vision became blurrier and I wasn’t able to read my phone, but getting around was still manageable. I spent most of the day resting and taking short naps, and after each one, my vision seemed to gradually improve. I followed the aftercare instructions closely, including pain medication and eye drops, which helped significantly. The first two days after surgery were manageable, with slightly blurry vision and mild dryness. Day three was the most difficult part of recovery. My eyes were extremely sensitive to light, and I had a hard time keeping them open at all. I spent most of that day in bed resting. By day four, things improved noticeably. I was able to function again, go outside with sunglasses, and manage daily activities. Over the following days, my vision continued to steadily improve, and by day five, it was clear enough that I would have felt comfortable driving. At my follow-up appointment around one week after surgery, the bandage contact lenses were removed. There was a minor change in vision afterward, but improvement continued. Over the next several weeks, my vision continued to sharpen, and by around week five, I no longer experienced dry eyes. Overall, I’m very happy with my experience and results.

I was nervous about getting PRK (due to thin corneas) instead of LASIK since I knew the recovery was much longer and my vision would come in more slower. However, everyone at Boston Vision was helpful in answering any questions I had to make me feel comfortable and able to make the correct choice for surgery. The surgery itself went well. I decided to take a Xanax that was offered before surgery to help with any anxiety which was a great decision. My eyes were extremely sensitive to light the first 2 days and then less so after but I still didn't want to be in a room in my house with the lights on until day 5 (unless I was wearing sunglasses). I also underestimated the need for blackout curtains in my bedroom during the first 4-5 days when I was trying to rest during the day so I spent those days in my daughters bedroom where it was much darker. It was very hard and required a lot of patience and trust to wait for my vision to slowly improve one day at a time. I had some headaches days 5-6 when my vision was better and I was trying to do more but it was still blurry. My vision wasn't good enough to drive until day 7 and then I think I waited until day 10 or 11 to drive at night. My vision was still pretty blurry and I was seeing large halos around headlights on day 6 but it did clear up the following week. I am currently 2 weeks out and feel comfortable driving anytime now but I feel like headlights are still a bit brighter than usual at night which I'm hoping will continue to improve. I opted for monovision (since I'm 40) and got one eye fixed for near and one for distance. Right now my distance is great but seeing near is still at 75-80% and I know it can take up to 3-6 months to get to the desired outcome. It's frustrating to wait but the fact that I can go about my daily life without glasses or contacts for the first time in 15-20 years is pretty amazing.

The surgery was very quick and painless! Just felt a little weird. The healing process wasn't too bad also. I am one month in and I still haven't got 20/20 yet. I'm hoping its because I am diabetic.

I have another review about LASIK which is helpful context for this review. The gist is that I couldn't get LASIK done on both eyes and needed to get PRK done on the right eye. The surgery went very smoothly. Dr. Melki is a fantastic surgeon. Nothing but good things to say about the surgery! My vision is blurry (as expected due to PRK's healing time), but I can already make out the 20/20 line and even a letter on the 20/15 line one day post-surgery. I'm removing one star because of the disconnect between the doctors and the admins at Boston Vision. I ended up creating and canceling appointments at Boston Vision and my regular optometrist multiple times because of both sides not being on the same page. It makes for a slightly frustrating patient experience.

I had PRK done last week and recovery has been tough. The 2nd day my eyes were in a lot of pain but I was able to use some of the pain management drops to relieve. My vision is still pretty blurry but I've heard that's to be expected. I meet with my eye doctor for a follow-up and looking forward to everything clearing up soon.

Overall this was a relatively smooth and seamless process. The team was cordial and professional throughout and I felt well taken care of the day of. I only wish that the team did a bit more to manage the recovery expectations of PRK on a week by week basis. They covered how it was longer but not necessarily what the specifics of how the vision will evolve. Also the team kindly asks what type of music we want to listen to the procedure to keep us at ease. I appreciated this but the volume does need to be louder for it to be useful because once the procedure begins and instruments begin whirring, I couldn't hear any of it - defeating the purpose. Still very satisfied and would recommend.

Had LASIK and PRK. Was not a candidate for LASIK in both eyes due to a scar from a cornea ulcer. The PRK procedure was great, they hold your eye open for several seconds, reshape the cornea and then put in a contact, 100% painless. Recovery has been surprisingly mild, scratchy/watery the first few days but hasn’t been an issue in the few days following. Vision is not 20/20 yet but will take time, and the blurriness has greatly improved over these past 6 days. Highly recommend

I recently had PRK surgery with monovision correction on 11/21/25. The preoperative and surgical experience were relatively easy. A couple of my colleagues had warned me of moderate to severe discomfort with PRK, but I really had only mild to moderate discomfort, which I treated with tylenol. I'm just over 2 weeks out and my vision is gradually improving, as it waxes and wanes with dryness. Overall, I am pleased with my experience and would definitely recommend Boston Vision to others seeking laser vision correction surgery.

Well... I am still waiting for my vision to come together. It is now 10 days post-surgery and it is still very blurry. The post-op check-ups went well and I have seen the data, and I know recovery from PRK is slower than for Lasik, so I am hanging in there. I am hoping to have 20/20 vision in that eye by day 14. Little update... I am now almost 4 weeks post-op and still not at 20/20. Supposedly it is getting better, but vision in that eye remains fuzzy. I had to get a (hopefully temporary) contact lens to bridge the gap until...??? I *will* say my prescription before the surgery was -5.5 and the lens they gave me was for -.75, so it definitely was an improvement, but having spent the money and gone through all this process, my goal is 20/20. I don't want to have to correct my vision in that eye for distance through a corrective lens at all. So... jury is still out. Keep in mind I am 55 and am slower to heal now in general than I was when I was younger and that eye has always been challenging (I developed a cataract in that eye when I was around 40 and had the lens replaced at around 48--not by Boston Vision, more's the pity). I have been taking the recommended vitamin C and also started another herbal post-surgery healing concoction in hopes of speeding the process up. All that said, I can drive and work and do everything as normal--just waiting for the clear, crisp vision I dream of!

I was really nervous to do corrective eye surgery even though I had always wanted to do it and I’m really glad I did! My best friend referred me here after she did it (and I won’t lie I waited for her to do it first before I committed to the eval to see how she did haha). The surgery itself was a very smooth process and Dr. Brenner and his team did a great job at helping me feel at ease. The helping process has been intense, but honestly not as bad as I was worried it would be. It was also completely worth it to already have so much vision improvement and still have more to g!! Excited to see where my vision ends up at when I’m fully healed!!

Dr. Keshav did my procedure. Doctors were very helpful and recommended that I get PRK instead of LASIK. They showed concern for my health instead of trying to book me as quickly as possible.

The staff at Boston Vision was outstanding and the procedure was simple and I experienced minimal temporary side effects (itchy eyes, halos, etc.) with all being resolved. My vision is great now and I couldn't be happier with my choice!

I had such a positive experience with Boston Vision, from start to finish. Everyone was professional, I felt prepared for the PRK surgery, and my results have been amazing. My only regret is that I do not do it sooner!!

I originally planned to have LASIK, but on the day of surgery, my doctor recommended PRK instead. He explained that while my left cornea was thick enough for the procedure, it wasn’t safe for full correction. I appreciated his honesty and the care in adjusting the plan, including my wish to have my left eye optimized for reading. The first two weeks were harder than I expected — dryness, light sensitivity, and difficulty working at the computer — but the clinic team was very supportive. Now, four months later, my distance vision is good, though mornings can still be blurry and reading takes more effort. My vision seems to be around +1, and I’ll discuss a possible small enhancement once things fully stabilize. Even with the slower recovery, life without glasses after 35 years feels amazing — the freedom and comfort are absolutely worth the patience PRK requires.

First let me start with when I went in for my surgery day. I went in got some extra measurements and pictures of my eye. After I went into a room to check that my eye prescription didn’t change much since I was there last. Once that was done I was given a Xanax and got my eyes dilated. Before I was going to head in I was able to sit in a comfy chair and was offered drinks/ snacks, although I was too nervous at the time. When they said they were ready for me I went in laid down and was given a stuffed animal incase I needed to give it a squeeze, a blanket to keep me warm, and a pillow under my knees to keep me comfortable. All of these touches made me feel so comfortable. I feel like as soon as I was in and laying down the procedure was done so quick. Currently I am a day post op and I am beyond happy that I did this! When reading some of the comments I noticed people said things were blurry, which made me nervous. How I would explain this is some things seem really clear to me, while other items are there just not as crystal clear. Although those are not as crystal clear I am seeing way better than when I didn’t have glasses or contacts on. Obviously everyone is different but so far I have not experienced pain, but I also have been sticking with Tylenol and the eye drop medication (sometimes the artificial tears). Overall 10/10 recommend.

Having PRK surgery is not for the feint of heart. It is on the one hand the most selfish thing you might ever do for yourself (and you deserve it!) and on the other, the most unfamiliar and life altering bodily experience you'll ever have. Do not take recovery lightly! I personally was out of work for a week as I continued to have blurred vision even after the healing lenses came out. I also recommend having a go-to support person that will be able to drive you to and from the surgery (I took an uber there) and then to and from your next day appt as well as your 5 day post op appointment (I took ubers here too) as this is extremely important in navigating your first week. For me, I was lucky to have a supportive husband that would help me stay on top of my meds and help me feel comfortable during a time when you feel out of your skin. If you can call on someone beforehand and have them planned to be there for you, I promise you won't regret it. The different tests and appointments can seem overwhelming but lean into the technology and know that you are getting the best of the best laser treatment with a top notch team. While I wish I would have planned to be off work for a week post-surgery, I don't regret my decision and know that this blurriness is in fact temporary and I will slowly get my vision back. P.S. Audio books, podcasts and listening to your favorite movies of all time will bring you comfort throughout the days.