What happens to the cornea's anterior stroma in photorefractive keratectomy?

In photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), the procedure involves the precise removal of a portion of the cornea's anterior stroma using an excimer laser. This specific layer of the cornea is targeted to reshape its curvature, which is essential for correcting refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

The use of a laser allows for a highly controlled and accurate removal of the tissue, which helps to minimize trauma to the surrounding corneal structures and promotes a better healing response in the post-operative phase. By carefully targeting the anterior stroma, the procedure works to alter the cornea's refractive properties, thus improving vision without the need for synthetic materials or altering the cornea into a gel-like state.

This understanding underscores the focus on the laser's role in removing tissue rather than leaving it untouched or substituting it with artificial components, which are not methods employed in PRK.