Relaxing keratotomy for post-keratoplasty high astigmatism

Seventeen patients underwent relaxing keratotomy for post-keratoplasty high astigmatism (range 8.5 to 18.0 diopters). The mean reduction in cylinder was 7.53 (+/- 3.13 SD) diopters, with a range from 2.5 to 11.5 diopters. There was a trend toward a more myopic spherical equivalent of 1.69 (+/- 2.29 SD) diopters with a range of 0.43 diopters of flattening to 5.5 diopters of steepening. Perforations occurred in two patients, but none had a permanent negative outcome.