Question: Is There Anything That Can Be Done to Treat Halos and Glares After PRK is Done?
Answer from Dr. Andrew Holzman MD, FACS: Glare and halos are routinely present in the early days/weeks following laser vision treatments, however they are rarely ever permanent. In PRK treatments, halos and glare typically last longer than in LASIK, frequently present at least to some degree during the first few months. This is due to the fact that with PRK, a new front surface of the eye is forming and smoothing as the perfect surface is being shaped. During this healing process there is potential for glare as the front surface is largely responsible for image quality.
In the past, prior to today’s custom laser treatments, glare was occasionally noticed by the patient long term. This is very rare in today’s treatments. However, if a patient complains of glare beyond three months post op, we need to search for the cause before starting a treatment.
Most likely cause would be dry eye syndrome, and treatment for this would include frequent lubricants, omega three fish oils by mouth, Restasis prescription eye drops, and avoidance of fans,vents and wind as much as possible. This would be the first line of treatment for most patients.
If the glare was found to be due to residual myopia or astigmatism, a second laser treatment (enhancement) with custom technology would be performed.
If the glare was found to be due to aberrations that were created by the treatment (very unlikely in today’s technology), a smoothing laser treatment could be performed.
An alternative to further laser treatments could be a trial of the prescription eye drops called Alphagan. These drops constrict the pupil size and can work to decrease glare by cutting down on the amount of light allowed into the eye.
