PRK Eye Surgery in Turkey

PRK and its close relatives, LASEK and Trans-PRK, are surface laser treatments: instead of cutting a corneal flap as in LASIK, the surgeon removes the cornea’s thin outer skin and reshapes the surface underneath. They suit people with thinner corneas or a high risk of eye injury, at the cost of a slower and more uncomfortable first week. In Turkey, surface laser for both eyes typically costs €1,000–€2,500, and a stay of about 5–7 days lets the clinic check healing before you fly.

What surface laser eye surgery is and how it works

The front of the cornea is covered by a thin layer of cells, the epithelium, which grows back within days. In surface treatments this layer is removed first; an excimer laser then reshapes the tissue beneath to correct short-sightedness, long-sightedness or astigmatism. With no flap, more of the cornea’s strength is preserved and nothing can be dislodged later — an advantage shared, in a different way, with keyhole SMILE. The trade-off is healing: the surface regrows under a soft bandage contact lens over three to five days, and vision sharpens over weeks rather than overnight.

PRK, LASEK and Trans-PRK compared

Evidence on Trans-PRK is encouraging but not conclusive: a 2024 review found less pain and faster surface healing than with alcohol-assisted PRK in several studies, with similar haze and final vision. Be wary of any clinic that markets surface laser as ‘painless’.

Who is a good candidate

• Adults (18+, ideally 21+) with a stable prescription for at least a year and otherwise healthy eyes
• People whose corneas are too thin for a LASIK flap, provided scans rule out keratoconus
• Contact-sport athletes, martial artists, military and police personnel — anyone at higher risk of an eye injury that could dislodge a flap
• People prone to dry eye, as surface treatments are thought to disturb corneal nerves less than LASIK
• Usually low to moderate prescriptions; very high myopia is often better treated with an ICL lens implant
• Not suitable with keratoconus or other corneal disease (see keratoconus treatment), an unstable prescription, uncontrolled diabetes, active eye infection, or during pregnancy and breastfeeding

The procedure step by step

Recovery timeline

1. Days 1–3

   The toughest days

   Expect watering, light sensitivity, a gritty or burning feeling and blurred vision while the surface heals. Rest, use drops and pain relief exactly as prescribed and never rub your eyes.

2. Days 4–5

   Bandage lenses out

   Once the surface has closed, the surgeon removes the bandage lenses. Comfort improves quickly, although vision is still hazy and may fluctuate.

3. Weeks 1–2

   Back to desk work

   Most people return to desk work after about a week. Drive only once your surgeon confirms you meet the legal vision standard.

4. Weeks 2–6

   Vision sharpening

   Vision keeps improving, with good and bad days. Steroid drops are tapered, sometimes over several months, to guide healing and reduce haze, with eye-pressure checks while you use them.

5. Months 3–6

   Final result

   The correction is usually stable by 3–6 months. Wear sunglasses in strong sunlight during this period, as your surgeon advises.

Results and how long they last

Once healing is complete, surface laser results are generally comparable with LASIK. In a review commissioned by NICE, the share of eyes reaching their target correction and the final vision without glasses were similar for PRK, LASEK and LASIK, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that about 9 in 10 people who have PRK end up with 20/40 vision or better without glasses or contact lenses. The reshaping is permanent, but eyes keep ageing: some people need an enhancement for a small leftover or returning prescription, and presbyopia still brings reading glasses, usually from the mid-40s.

Risks and how to reduce them

• Pain and light sensitivity in the first days — expected, and usually controlled with drops, cold compresses and painkillers
• Corneal haze — a faint cloudiness from the healing response that can blur vision weeks to months later, more likely with higher corrections; mitomycin C, steroid drops and UV protection are used to reduce it
• Infection while the surface is open — careful hygiene with drops and prompt review of worsening pain or redness matter
• Slow surface healing, which prolongs discomfort and blurred vision
• Glare, halos and poorer night vision, and under- or over-correction that may need glasses or an enhancement
• Raised eye pressure from steroid drops — the reason pressure checks continue while you use them

Cost of PRK, LASEK and Trans-PRK in Turkey and what's included

Surface laser is often priced at or slightly below LASIK at the same clinic, while no-touch Trans-PRK may cost more. The final price depends on the laser platform, the surgeon, the hospital and how many hotel nights are bundled. Use online figures only as a guide: ask for a written quote after your scans, check what happens if you need an enhancement, and get free quotes to compare clinics.

Choosing a clinic safely

• An accredited eye hospital or clinic and an ophthalmologist registered in Turkey who performs corneal laser surgery routinely
• The Ministry of Health’s health-tourism authorisation, the Uluslararası Sağlık Turizmi Yetki Belgesi
• Full corneal scans (thickness and shape) done in person — this is how keratoconus and other reasons not to operate are caught
• Clear answers on the technique and laser, whether mitomycin C is planned for your correction, and when the bandage lenses come out
• A written quote covering drops, follow-up, enhancements and slow healing — and realistic before-and-after information, not guarantees
• Red flags: same-day decisions, no discussion of pain or haze, or encouragement to fly home with the bandage lenses still in and no removal plan

Surface laser trades a tougher first week for a flap-free cornea — a sensible choice for the right eyes, provided the recovery is planned as carefully as the surgery.

— WhichClinic Editorial Team