Radial keratotomy: analysis of efficacy and predictability in 1,058 consecutive cases. Part I: Efficacy

Effectiveness and predictability of anterior radial keratotomy to correct myopia and astigmatism or astigmatism alone were evaluated in 1,058 consecutive surgeries. The surgical technique consisted of retrobulbar anesthetic injection, topical anesthetic, from four to 32 radial incisions with a diamond blade, cutting from the optic zone to the limbus, optical clear zone diameter from 2.75 mm to 5.00 mm, longitudinal or tangential incisions, if necessary, to correct astigmatism, and bilateral surgery at the same sitting in 72% of cases. There were 816 of 1,018 subjects (80.2%) between +/- 1 diopter (D) of emmetropia following surgery; 86.1% of 1,003 eyes were 20/40 or better uncorrected postoperatively; mean astigmatism was reduced from 0.97 D preoperatively to 0.66 D postoperatively. Sixty-seven eyes (6.3%) had microperforations; seven (0.7%) had macroperforations requiring a suture. The mean change in refraction for patients with and without perforations was 5.43 D and 4.20 D, respectively.