Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy to correct residual myopia after radial keratotomy

We performed excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) on 10 undercorrected myopic eyes of nine patients with residual myopia, (N = 2, > -6.00 D, N = 8, -2.00 -5.75 D) after radial keratotomy. Patients' mean age was 32.1 years. The time interval between radial keratotomy and PRK ranged from 12 to 90 months (mean 35). All patients after PRK were followed 9 months or more. Nine months following PRK, uncorrected visual acuity ranged from 20/25 to 20/50 in all cases. Mean manifest refractive changed from -5.06 D preoperatively to -0.66 D after surgery, and the mean keratometric power changed from 41.40 +/- 1.56 D to 38.48 +/- 1.77 D. Persistent corneal haze (grade 1) was noted only in one eye at 9 months and no other significant complications occurred. Therefore, excimer laser PRK appears to be a good method to correct residual myopia after radial keratotomy.