Recurrent Corneal Erosion Syndrome and PTK

Everything about recurrent corneal erosion syndrome and phototherapeutic keratectomy

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What is recurrent corneal erosion syndrome?

Recurrent corneal erosion syndrome (RCES) can be a cause of repeated episodes of pain and watering of your eye, especially overnight or in the early hours of the morning. It develops because the most superficial self-healing layer of your cornea, the epithelium, does not attach firmly to the underlying basement membrane. 

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The most common causes of RCES are previous scratch injury to your eye and an underlying epithelial basement membrane dystrophy.  

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What is phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK)? 

 In PTK, excimer laser is used to treat and polish the Bowman's layer of the cornea. This allows the superficial self-healing layer of the cornea, the epithelium, to grow back with stronger attachments. This treatment can potentially also be combined with treating your refractive errors, such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness or astigmatism, or the need for reading glasses. 

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PTK is usually carried out when your symptoms have not responded to non-surgical treatments, such as lubricant drops, lubricant ointments and a therapeutic soft contact lens. 

How to proceed?

• If you interested in a consultation or surgery, call or send Aris Vision Correction a message

• Select a hospital for consultation: Wessex Nuffield, Guildford Nuffield, Southampton Spire or Southampton General Hospital

• At your consultation your symptoms and needs will be ascertained, you will have a detailed eye examination and scans, and a surgical plan made to match your eyes and needs

• Surgery is carried out at the Wessex Nuffield Hospital

• Select a hospital for your follow-up consultation: Wessex Nuffield, Guildford Nuffield, Southampton Spire or Southampton General Hospital