For patients in South Africa

PRK laser eye surgery in Turkey from South Africa: why the stay is longer

PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) reshapes the surface of the cornea without making a flap. It treats short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism, and is often recommended for thinner corneas or for people in contact sport or physically demanding work. Recovery is slower and less comfortable than with LASIK, and that changes how long South African patients need to stay in Turkey.

How PRK is done

Anaesthetic drops numb the eye. The surgeon removes the thin outer layer of the cornea (the epithelium), and the excimer laser reshapes the surface beneath. A soft bandage contact lens is placed over the eye to protect it while the outer layer grows back over the next few days. Because no flap is made, the cornea stays structurally intact. You are at the clinic for about two hours in total. More detail is on the PRK treatment page.

Who it suits

• Adults over 18 whose prescription has been stable for at least 12 months
• People with thinner or irregular corneas
• People in contact sport, military service or physically demanding work

If your corneas allow a flap and a quicker recovery matters more, LASIK or SMILE may be discussed. The laser eye surgery guide for South Africans compares the techniques, and the eye treatment guide for South Africans covers every option. Suitability is confirmed by corneal mapping on arrival, so ask before booking what happens to your trip if you are not suitable.

Why the stay is longer

The procedure itself is painless. The first three to five days are the hard part: soreness, light sensitivity, watering and blurred vision while the surface heals. Prescribed drops and pain relief manage this, and most patients find the worst is over by day four. Patients fly home once the bandage lens has been removed and the surgeon confirms the surface has healed, so plan for three to five days after surgery, plus the days before it for your assessment.

Both eyes are usually treated on the same day. Some patients prefer one eye at a time because of the recovery, which means a longer stay; discuss this with the surgeon before you book.

• Direct flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town to Istanbul take around ten hours, followed by a short domestic flight to İzmir. South Africans need an e-Visa, and Turkey is only one hour ahead of South Africa, so jet lag is minimal.
• Book a return ticket you can change in case healing takes a little longer
• Keep your prescribed drops in your hand luggage; cabin air on a ten-hour flight is dry

Recovery at home and the South African sun

Most patients need about a week away from work, longer if the job is visually demanding. Avoid eye make-up for two weeks and swimming for a month, and follow the surgeon’s guidance on sport. Sunglasses are essential outdoors for the first few months, which matters in strong South African sunshine. Because vision keeps improving for one to three months, your final check will be at home:

• Take home a written record of the treatment and your corneal measurements
• Book a check with an optometrist or ophthalmologist in South Africa before you travel
• Ask your medical scheme and travel insurer what they cover; elective eye surgery abroad is usually excluded

Our treatment guarantee covers medical complications arising from the treatment, and any revision that becomes clinically necessary, for one year; covered treatment is carried out in İzmir without charge, but flights and accommodation remain your own responsibility. How problems are handled is published on our complaints page, and who treats patients is on clinic facts.

What we will not do

We will not hurry you onto a flight before the bandage lens is out and the surface has healed, we will not recommend PRK when another technique suits your eyes better, and we will not treat you before your corneas have been mapped.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I need to stay in Turkey for PRK?

Most patients fly home three to five days after surgery, once the bandage contact lens has been removed and the surgeon confirms the surface has healed. Add the days needed for your assessment before surgery.

Does PRK hurt?

The procedure itself is painless because the eye is numbed. Soreness, light sensitivity and watering are expected for the first three to five days, managed with prescribed drops and pain relief.

Why choose PRK instead of LASIK?

PRK makes no flap, so it can suit thinner or irregular corneas and people in contact sport or physically demanding work. The trade-off is a slower, less comfortable recovery.

When can I go back to work after PRK?

Most patients need about a week away from work, longer if the job is visually demanding.

Will my medical aid cover PRK in Turkey?

South African medical schemes generally do not cover refractive laser surgery, and travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment abroad. Ask your scheme and insurer before you book.

Start with a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Read the guide for South African patients and the e-Visa guide.