Is haze a risk after PRK?
Corneal haze is a recognised surface-treatment finding, and modern technique and aftercare have made it less common than it was in earlier decades. It is more likely with higher prescriptions and with deeper treatment, and it is one of the reasons surface treatment is planned around your measurements.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- PRK & TransPRK
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Procedures
- PRK
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Haze is a change in the clarity of the surface as it heals, not a scar that cannot be managed, and clinics use preventive medication after surface treatment for that reason. If you are considering PRK for a high prescription, this is a specific question worth asking.
What this answer depends on
- The size of the prescription being treated
- The depth of tissue removed
- The post-operative medication regime and your adherence to it
Related guides
People also ask
The questions readers move to next from this one: the closest subjects first, from either question bank.
Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision correction & laser eye surgery in PRK & TransPRK . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Procedure PRK
- Procedure TransPRK
- Comparison LASIK vs PRK
- Comparison SMILE vs PRK
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Comparison of clinical outcomes of LASIK, Trans-PRK, and SMILE
A comparative study of three commonly used refractive procedures, including a summary of proposed advantages of each.
Used for The procedure comparison page, particularly the PRK discussion.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
The equivalent clinical reference chapter for LASIK, used so that comparisons describe both procedures symmetrically.
Used for How LASIK creates and manages a corneal flap; LASIK complication categories.
Link checked 22 September 2026