If you are planning for prk, you can consider for trans prk as well, it's a newer and better technology, you would have a safer, lesser discomfort, lesser risk of complications and faster recovery as compare to prk, trans prk is known as "touchless", meaning that nothing touches your eyeballs throughout the surgery, prk use device to mark and remove the epithelium manually using a scalpel like thingy, but trans prk use laser to remove the epithelium before laser on the cornea to correct vision. So far, in Malaysia, trans prk surgery is only available at Advance Vision Eye Specialist Centre if I wasn't mistaken, and they are currently using the most high tech device, Schwind Amaris 1050RS for the trans prk surgery since April/May 2017. In Singapore, this procedure is already widely available using the same device. Cost wise if your power is low, you can opt for standard RM2988, if your power is high, you would have to go for customised RM5588 for both eyes.

PRK surgery
https://youtu.be/BJz_G8mLSB4

Trans PRK surgery
https://youtu.be/HSHVf5B7QJ0

From the video, you can clearly see the difference between the procedure of both of these surgery (the way they remove the epithelium) . And if you read further, you can understand more on why trans prk clearly outweigh prk as a better option for the eye surgery.

Con is just that the centre is always full of patients, you would have to wait very long for your turn, if you wouldn't mind about that.

*Just my personal opinion based on my personal understanding

This post has been edited by ashthephoenix: Jan 18 2019, 12:12 AM

I just had mine on 25 Jan, by far, everything went well.

I would say this is the type of eye laser surgery with the simplest procedure you would have to go through during the surgery. Basically all you would have to do is lying down at the bed and look at the green light, you feel nothing at that moment, but you will smell a bit of the smell like the hair burnt smell when the lasering start, a high oxygen permeable lens are placed on your eyes (to protect the growing epithelium tissues after sugery) after the lasering then it is done. It's a rather quick procedure.

Day 1 post surgery, I don't really feel anything after the surgery, vision right after surgery is better than the vision when you are not wearing spec. A few hours later, I started feeling some pain and discomfort on my eyes, anaesthetic drop are given, so use then to relieve the discomfort. In the evening, my eyes feel very tiring, I just doesn't really feel like opening my eyes, whether I open my eyes, the eye lids are like so heavy they will try to close back.

Day 2 post surgery, have to went back for follow up, vision that that time were 7.5/6. eyes discomfort is still there, can be relieved by anaesthetic drop, still the same thing, my eyes are like tired to open, so most of the time, I do lie on my bed to sleep and rest.

Day 3 post surgery, I have lesser eye discomfort which I didn't have to use anesthetic drop on that day. The tired eyes feeling are not really there anymore. However, I do have fluctuations on my vision.

Day 4 post surgery, everything feels rather normal except that my vision fluctuate.

Day 5, went to remove the lens. Vision still fluctuating.

Generally, I would say my vision is fluctuating during the first week. I would say it is not so safe to drive when your vision is fluctuating.

By the second, it is already quite stable. I don't experience fluctuations of vision, I can see everything very well, but I know vision is still not 6/6. I can say I'm safe to drive starting from second week.

Up till now, everything feel just normal as long as you comply to using all the eyes drop given.

*A good nutritional status will allow you to have a faster recovery. Meaning that you have always been eating a healthy and balanced diet, which provides your body with good nutritions.

This guy shared everything about the whole procedure of getting it done, you can read it here
https://bit.ly/pembedahanlasik

Service wise at the centre is okay, as they have many patients, so they let their optometrist to do the general explanations about the procedure, for further clarification, you can ask the doctor about it, due to many patients, you wouldn't really have a long time to speak to the doctor unless you already have your questions well ready. If you are a fussy person who want tip top service and fast procedures for the whole thing, you can go over to Singapore for trans prk.

The personal reason why I prefer trans prk over femto lasik is because
- Lasik, they will have negative suction procedures (it is use to create the flap) where you will experience total black out at the moment and it increases your intraocular pressure (which studies show might induce changes of retinal structure).
- Without creating the flap, there would be no possible complications related to the flap (like incomplete/irregular/decenter flap, infection underneath the flap etc.).
- Till now, studies still couldn't prove that the flap will fully heal after Lasik. Large evidences show that the flap never really heal after Lasik, hence there is chances of tear/dislocation even after many years later. Which is why people who plays contact sport, it is recommended to have prk/trans prk, because no cut no flap no such complications.
- However, femto lasik has its own advantages too, it has fast recovery and the percentage of people having such complications above are very minimal, its just that personally I myself prefer no risk than minimal risk for such complications and cost wise over here trans prk is much cheaper than femto lasik.
- Do take note that trans prk have longer recovery period, by one month, trans prk will have vision recovery that is comparable to one week after Lasik, full recovery of epithelium tissues is up to 1 year. You would have to wear sunglasses with UV protection for 6 months after trans prk, as UV rays can have damaging effect on the recovery of epithelium tissues.
- There are pros and cons for both type of surgery and it is totally up to your preference.

Do take note that all of these are just my personal opinion, do your own reading and always refer to your eye surgeon/specialist for more thorough info and better clarification.

This post has been edited by ashthephoenix: Feb 14 2019, 10:34 AM