New technique for knife and radial keratotomy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical innovation

Background:

• Radial keratotomy is a common surgical procedure for myopia correction.
• Existing methods require improvements for optimal patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel diamond knife design for radial keratotomy.
• To compare the efficacy and usability of the new knife against a standard instrument.

Main Methods:

• Radial keratotomy was performed on 120 eyes using two diamond knife designs: a new variable-depth knife and a standard Fyodorov knife.
• Each patient received one type of knife per eye for direct comparison.
• Surgical procedures were standardized for incision number and depth programming.

Main Results:

• After two years, both knife groups showed significant reduction in myopia and mean keratometric power.
• The new knife group: myopia reduced from -4.37 D to -0.32 D; keratometric power changed from 43.20 D to 39.30 D.
• The standard knife group: myopia reduced from -4.36 D to -0.40 D; keratometric power changed from 43.20 D to 39.50 D.

Conclusions:

• The novel radial keratotomy knife demonstrated refractive outcomes equivalent to the standard Fyodorov knife.
• The new knife design enhanced surgical convenience, leading to shorter operation durations.
• The ability to achieve variable incision depth in one movement improved surgical efficiency.