title: Ten years experience with a conservative approach to radial keratotomy.
abstract: This retrospective study reports the results of radial keratotomy surgery on 225 eyes of 135 patients by one surgeon. Fifty-one percent of the eyes had four incisions and 45% had eight as the initial procedure. Fifteen percent of the eyes repeated surgery. The mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction was -5.10 diopters (SD 1.90, range 1.20 to 11.60 D) and at 3 months to 1 year, the mean was -0.60 D (SD 1.00, range -4.80 to +3.40 D). For the entire series, 69% of the eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better, 73% were corrected to within +/- 1.00 D of emmetropia, and 3% were overcorrected by more than +1.00 D. For eyes with low preoperative myopia (-3.00 D and less), 100% achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better, 97% were corrected to within +/- 1.00 D of emmetropia, and 3% were overcorrected by more than +1.00 D. For eyes with moderate myopia (-3.1 to -5.9 D), 73% achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better, 81% were corrected to within +/- 1.00 D of emmetropia, and 3% were overcorrected by more than +1.00 D. For eyes with higher preoperative myopia (-6.0 to -11.60 D), 47% achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better, 45% were corrected to within +/- 1.00 D of emmetropia and 3% were overcorrected by more than +1.00 D. One hundred eyes with a follow-up of 2 years or greater were studied for stability; 77% changed by less than 1.00 D from the 1 year value; 17% changed by 1.00 D or more in the hyperopic direction; 6% changed by 1.00 D or more in the myopic direction. There were no vision threatening complications and only one eye had a postoperative best spectacle corrected visual acuity of less than 20/40.
authors.affiliation: Cedars-Sinai Research Laboratory, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90048.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Salz
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Salz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007646:Keratotomy, Radial / Q000009:adverse effects; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D054140:Refractive Surgical Procedures; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity