The objective of undergoing refractive error corrective laser eye surgery, such as PRK, LASIK, LASEK etc., is to reduce or eliminate dependency on the contact lens or eye glasses. However, though in minority cases, wearing contact lens attain better still visual acuity, improving quality of life.
Cornea Surface After PRK
Technically, the answer is yes. The patient can wear contact lens after PRK or any other refractive error surgery. Fitting contact lens to the eyes of PRK patients is straight forward, typically. The reliving part is that the eye, after PRK tolerates wearing the contact lens as the cornea stands lesser sensitive to it, in fact in a better way an eye can without the surgery.
PRK surgery operates the cornea central part to 6mm. The zone of 6mm is smaller compared to the average contact lenses’ optic zone. Hence, you need to realize that the readings of the central keratometry have to be clear and should be flatter than expected, before fitting contact lenses, post the surgery. These corneal readings along with the transition zones and smoothness of the treatment can be determined with the help of topography. Usually, very central cornea flatter looks with regular pattern than the normal, when seen with topography. The technical reason behind this is that the PRK does not make changes to the shape of the cornea, outer treatment zone.
Challenges of Wearing Contact Lens Post Surgery
Fitting contact lenses in normal condition is easier compared to the cases of post refractive error corrective laser surgeries. It is because any laser refractive surgery, including PRK changes the natural shape of the cornea.
Usage of soft contact lens does not interfere with the modified cornea surface. PRK patients who wore soft lenses can wear them after the surgery also. Technically, the PRK patient can also wear rigid contact lenses, however, there is a challenge of fitment. At the same time, rigid contact lens cannot be used by some of the PRK patients and other refractive vision correction patient and it is dependent on the prescription of the patient.
Usually, the PRK patients, who are interested to wear contact lens after this surgery, under-correction is sought by them and eventually, for the activities like sports and other harder activities, contact lens are needed. And the PRK patients, who are interested to undergo mono-vision refractive surgery, may need to wear contact lens occasionally, towards distance acuity improvement on the near eye, over near eye. Usually, contact lens designed and made especially for such context and circumstances are preferred and recommended by the laser eye surgeons.
Wearing Lens After PRK
Certain studies report that wearing lenses after PRK surgery procedure improve visual acuity to better levels, however, the same may be associated with the decentralization and instability of lens from mild to moderate levels. However, when soft lenses are fit, lens stability and centration are improved while satisfying better visual acuity requirement. There are different kinds of lens, which affect the visual acuity and fitting in different levels.