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Ophthalmology · UK

Phototherapeutic keratectomy - the cornea, cleared properly.

Excimer laser treatment for recurrent corneal erosions, anterior dystrophies, band keratopathy and superficial scars - therapeutic, not cosmetic. A consultant corneal specialist, imaging-planned ablation, and the honest conversation about haze, refractive shift and recurrence up front.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private PTK costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner eye units.

In short

£1,800–£3,500 per eye, home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
PTK - one eye £1,800–£3,500
PTK - both eyes (staged or same day) £3,400–£6,500
Combined PTK/PRK - per eye £2,500–£4,000
Corneal topography and anterior-segment OCT £150–£400
Bandage lens and enhanced aftercare package £150–£350
Corneal consultation only £200–£350

Prices vary by clinic, by the consultant, by the laser platform, and by whether a refractive (PRK) element is added. Check what the quote includes - imaging, the bandage lens, drops and follow-up visits are sometimes billed separately.

The problem

Therapeutic laser deserves a corneal specialist, not a sales funnel.

PTK sits awkwardly between hospital ophthalmology and high-street refractive clinics - erosions dismissed as dry eye for years, and refractive consequences glossed over. We fix all three before you consent.

  • Name the condition first

    Recurrent erosions and early dystrophies are routinely mislabelled as dry eye. A slit-lamp exam and topography by a corneal specialist settle the diagnosis before any laser is discussed.

  • Therapeutic, not refractive

    PTK treats disease - which is why the NHS funds it and why consent looks different from LASIK marketing. If a clinic pitches it like vision correction, walk away.

  • Plan the refractive shift before the laser fires

    Deeper ablations flatten the cornea and shift your prescription. Measured, discussed and - where sensible - offset with a combined PTK/PRK plan, before you consent.

When it helps

When PTK is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means eye casualty today rather than a routine appointment.

  • Recurrent corneal erosion syndrome

    Waking at night or in the morning with sudden sharp eye pain as the surface layer tears away - again and again, despite drops and ointments.

  • Corneal dystrophies clouding vision

    Reis-Bücklers, granular, lattice and other anterior dystrophies laying deposits in the superficial cornea and blurring sight.

  • Band keratopathy

    A band of calcium across the cornea - PTK can smooth the surface after the calcium is chelated away.

  • Superficial corneal scars

    Scarring from old injury, infection or previous surgery sitting in the front third of the cornea - within reach of the laser.

  • Salzmann’s nodular degeneration

    Raised nodules distorting the corneal surface and the vision - removable with superficial keratectomy and PTK polishing.

  • Irregular surface degrading vision

    An uneven epithelium or anterior stroma causing glare, ghosting and fluctuating vision that glasses cannot fix.

  • Erosions failing conservative care

    Lubricants, hypertonic saline, bandage lenses and needle micropuncture all tried - PTK is the next, more definitive step.

  • Red flag: painful red eye with discharge

    A painful, red, light-sensitive eye with discharge or a white spot on the cornea may be an infective ulcer - same-day eye casualty, not a routine laser booking.

Procedure options

One laser, several jobs - the ablation plan depends on the diagnosis.

What each variant involves - from a few-micron polish for erosions to deeper clearance for dystrophies, and the combined therapeutic-plus-refractive plan.

  • PTK for recurrent erosions

    A shallow ablation - a few microns - after removing the loose epithelium, encouraging it to re-anchor firmly. Success rates of 70–90 percent for stopping erosion episodes.

  • PTK for corneal dystrophy

    A deeper ablation to clear anterior dystrophy deposits (Reis-Bücklers, granular, lattice). Vision improves, though dystrophies can recur in the new tissue over years.

  • PTK for band keratopathy

    After EDTA chelation removes the calcium band, PTK polishes the underlying surface smooth. Often combined in a single sitting.

  • PTK for scars and nodules

    Superficial keratectomy peels away Salzmann’s nodules or scar tissue; the laser then smooths what remains, often with a masking fluid to even out the surface.

  • Combined PTK/PRK

    A therapeutic ablation with a refractive element added - treating the opacity and some of your glasses prescription in one treatment. Needs careful planning of the total ablation depth.

  • Transepithelial PTK

    The laser removes the epithelium itself rather than a blade or brush - useful when the epithelium is irregular and acts as its own smoothing mask.

  • Repeat PTK

    Recurrent dystrophy deposits or repeat erosions can often be re-treated, provided enough corneal thickness remains - one reason the first ablation is kept as shallow as possible.

  • When PTK isn’t enough

    Deep stromal opacities are beyond the laser’s safe reach.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

PTK is a well-established, low-risk laser treatment. The things worth planning are the sore first week, the possible shift in your glasses prescription, and the small chance the underlying condition returns.

  • Anaesthetic drops, no needles, no stitches

    PTK is done awake under topical anaesthetic drops. The treatment itself takes minutes; you are in the laser suite around an hour and home the same day.

  • The first few days are sore

    Until the epithelium heals - usually 3–7 days under a bandage contact lens - expect grittiness, watering, light sensitivity and blurred vision. Pain relief and lubricants carry you through.

  • Infection is rare but taken seriously

    Any epithelial defect carries a small infection risk, minimised with antibiotic drops. Increasing pain, redness or discharge after the first days means same-day review, not waiting for your appointment.

  • Corneal haze

    A faint subepithelial haze can develop as the cornea heals, occasionally affecting vision. Deeper ablations carry more risk; mitomycin-C is sometimes applied during surgery to reduce it.

  • A hyperopic (long-sighted) shift

    Removing central tissue flattens the cornea, so deeper ablations shift the prescription toward long-sightedness. Your surgeon estimates the shift up front - and can sometimes plan the ablation to offset it.

  • Recurrence of the underlying condition

    PTK clears deposits and re-anchors the surface - it does not change your genes. Dystrophies can recur over years, and erosions occasionally return. Repeat treatment is often possible.

  • Vision takes weeks to settle

    Functional vision usually returns within 1–2 weeks, but the final result - and any new glasses prescription - should be judged at 6–12 weeks, not day three.

  • Eventually, some corneas need a graft

    If disease recurs deeply or haze becomes significant, a lamellar or penetrating corneal graft may ultimately be needed. It is uncommon, and PTK does not burn that bridge.

  • Red flags after treatment

    Worsening pain after the first 48 hours, spreading redness, discharge, a white spot on the cornea or a sudden drop in vision need the same-day team or eye casualty, not a routine call.

Reading your treatment note

Your treatment note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever variant was used - PTK alone, transepithelial, or combined with PRK - the note the ophthalmologist sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant ophthalmologist reviewing a patient’s PTK treatment notes

A quiet reminder

Ophthalmic language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the treatment note and the drop schedule before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication, eye and ablation plan

    Why the treatment was done, which eye, the diagnosis being treated, and the planned ablation depth and zone.

  2. 02 Technique

    Epithelium, laser and adjuncts

    How the epithelium was removed, the laser settings and actual depth ablated, whether a masking fluid, EDTA chelation or mitomycin-C was used, and the bandage lens fitted.

  3. 03 Findings

    Clarity achieved and residual thickness

    How much of the opacity cleared, what remains and at what depth, and the corneal thickness left - the figure that governs any future re-treatment.

  4. 04 Impression

    Drops, review dates and refraction plan

    Read this first: the drop regime and taper, when the bandage lens comes out, when vision will be re-checked, and when to update your glasses.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

PTK is often covered when clinically indicated - it treats corneal disease, unlike refractive laser surgery, which insurers exclude. Any added PRK element is usually self-funded.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about PTK.

Quick answers on the PTK-versus-PRK distinction, healing, haze, cost and the NHS route.

  • What is phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK)?

    PTK uses an excimer laser to remove a very thin, precisely controlled layer from the front of the cornea - clearing superficial opacities, smoothing irregularities and helping a poorly anchored surface layer heal firmly. It is a therapeutic treatment for corneal disease, performed by a corneal specialist, not a cosmetic or vision-correction procedure in itself.

  • How is PTK different from PRK or LASIK?

    PRK and LASIK reshape a healthy cornea to correct your glasses prescription. PTK uses the same excimer laser but to treat disease - erosions, dystrophy deposits, scars and surface irregularity. The two can be combined (PTK/PRK) when it makes sense to treat the opacity and some of the prescription in one sitting, but the goals are different: PTK is about comfort and clarity, not spectacle independence.

  • Who is PTK suitable for?

    The classic candidates are people with recurrent corneal erosion syndrome that keeps relapsing despite drops and bandage lenses, anterior corneal dystrophies such as Reis-Bücklers, granular or lattice, band keratopathy after chelation, Salzmann’s nodules and superficial scars. The key requirement is that the problem sits in the front portion of the cornea - deep opacities are beyond the laser’s safe reach and usually need a corneal graft instead.

  • What happens on the day, and does it hurt?

    It is a day-case under anaesthetic drops - no needles, no stitches. The surface layer is removed, the laser treats for well under a minute, and a bandage contact lens is placed. The treatment itself is painless; the following 2–3 days are the sore part, with grittiness, watering and light sensitivity while the epithelium heals under the lens, usually within 3–7 days.

  • How long until my vision recovers?

    Vision is blurry for the first week while the surface heals, functional within 1–2 weeks for most people, and continues to sharpen for 6–12 weeks as the new surface settles. Any change to your glasses prescription - including the hyperopic shift deeper ablations can cause - is measured and corrected at around the 6–12 week mark.

  • What are the main risks?

    The important ones are corneal haze as the eye heals, a shift in your prescription toward long-sightedness after deeper ablations, a small infection risk while the surface is open, and recurrence of the underlying condition - dystrophies in particular can re-deposit over years. Repeat PTK is often possible, and in the uncommon case where disease recurs deeply, a corneal graft remains an option.

  • How much does private PTK cost in the UK?

    Roughly £1,800–£3,500 per eye for PTK, £2,500–£4,000 per eye for combined PTK/PRK, plus £200–£350 for the initial corneal consultation and £150–£400 for topography and OCT imaging.

  • Can I have PTK on the NHS?

    Yes - PTK is NHS-funded when clinically indicated, most clearly for recurrent erosions and symptomatic dystrophies, because it treats disease rather than refractive error. Access varies between regions and corneal units, and waits can be long. Purely refractive laser surgery is not NHS-funded, which is one reason the therapeutic-versus-refractive distinction matters.

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