Inverse arcuate incision: a new approach to the correction of astigmatism

Standard concentric arcuate transverse corneal relaxing incisions flatten the meridian incised and steepen the meridian 90 degrees away, a phenomenon designated "coupling". We have demonstrated a new method of reducing the steep corneal curvature without inducing coupling, by utilizing both transverse and radial components of an inverse arcuate incision. This technique has been found useful in cases of myopic astigmatism because it reduces the myopic spherical equivalent, which is left unchanged by standard arcuate incisions, without having to place radial incisions.