Why do they do PRK laser eye surgery one eye at a time?!
Question: It is for safety. What they are worried about is a complication occurring which is not apparent at the time of the surgery, but which appears a few hours or days later, and which can occur in both eyes at once if both eyes were treated. An infection is one such complication. If an infection occurs, it usually will occur within the first two or so days postoperatively. An infection in both eyes, if severe, can lead to scarring, loss of vision, and even a need for a corneal transplant. Fortunately, the risk of an infection occurring in even just one eye is remote, but not zero.
Also, it can take up to one week to regain full vision in the eye that the surgery was done on. This way you have one functioning eye while the other recovers.
Answers: It is for safety. What they are worried about is a complication occurring which is not apparent at the time of the surgery, but which appears a few hours or days later, and which can occur in both eyes at once if both eyes were treated. An infection is one such complication. If an infection occurs, it usually will occur within the first two or so days postoperatively. An infection in both eyes, if severe, can lead to scarring, loss of vision, and even a need for a corneal transplant. Fortunately, the risk of an infection occurring in even just one eye is remote, but not zero.
Also, it can take up to one week to regain full vision in the eye that the surgery was done on. This way you have one functioning eye while the other recovers.