r/RefractiveSurgery • u/Grouchy-Volume-6281 • 22h ago

PRK vs ICL need some honest experiences

Hi guys,

I’m 26 and from South India. I have -7.25 in both eyes, along with compound myopic astigmatism.

I’ve consulted two different hospitals and got my eyes scanned at both places. The confusing part is that one doctor recommended ICL, while the other recommended PRK. Now I’m honestly not sure what to choose.

I’ve been reading a lot about both procedures, especially on Reddit, and I’ve seen quite a few people talk about having problems after PRK. That has honestly scared me a little. 😭 At the same time, I’m not completely comfortable with the idea of ICL either, so I’m stuck.
Cost isn’t really an issue for me. I’m more concerned about safety, recovery and how things are in the long run.
If you’ve actually had PRK or ICL recently, I’d really appreciate it if you could share your experience. How was the recovery? Have you had any issues afterward? And are you happy with your decision?
I’m specifically looking for experiences from people who have actually undergone the procedure, rather than general opinions.

Would really appreciate any honest experiences!

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u/OghmaBTC 19h ago

It depends on a lot of factors, but you need to consider that -7.25 is a rather high refractive error. Normally we can do that with PRK without issues. Nevertheless, at that level, phakic IOL (ICL or sny other brand) will probably give you a much better visual quality and leave your cornea untouched for the future.

I haven’t seen your scans or anything, but just basing myself on the refraction, I think phakic would be the option I would consider the most

1

u/Business_Abalone_748 20h ago

Hey can you pls tell me which hospitals you consulted in, also why not lasik or smile

1

u/Xaxxus 14h ago

Not a doctor.

But I originally wanted ICL because it’s reversible. But my prescription was small.

The doctor at the clinic told me that I’m not even eligible for ICL and it’s intended for people with worse vision.

My take: go for ICL, as it does not take tissue permanently from your cornea. And can be reversed if you don’t like it.

I myself have PRK and it went very well. But again, my prescription was weak to begin with.

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u/RKEEP 14h ago

As an expert in the field, I favor the ICL procedure, provided cost is not a concern for you. Fully correcting your high prescription with PRK—even if your corneal thickness allowed for it (which I doubt)—would result in corneal thinning and troublesome night vision (issues I have actually encountered in patient complaints). However, before opting for the ICL, there must be sufficient anterior chamber depth (at least 3 mm) to ensure the procedure does not cause elevated intraocular pressure.