What is TransPRK?
TransPRK is a version of PRK in which the outer layer of the cornea is removed by the excimer laser itself rather than by a separate step, so the whole treatment happens in one continuous laser pass.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- PRK & TransPRK
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Procedures
- TransPRK, PRK
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Removing one instrument from the sequence reduces handling of the eye surface, which is the claim made for it. The recovery profile is essentially that of PRK: a slower start than a flap or lenticule procedure.
Related guides
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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.
- 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