title: Refractive keratoplasty for disabling astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty.
abstract: Postoperative astigmatism is one of the major limitations of penetrating keratoplasty. In an attempt to reduce postkeratoplasty astigmatism, we combined corneal-relaxing incisions with orthogonal compression sutures, guided by the intraoperative use of a ring keratometer. Eleven consecutive patients from a mixed referral population with functionally disabling astigmatism were studied. The average preoperative keratometric cylinder of 11.68 diopters was reduced by 7.95 (+/- 3.03 SD) diopters. Each patient's net keratometric cylinder was reduced. We believe that this technique is safer and more predictable than previously published techniques.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: McCartney
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bernitsky
mesh_terms: D001251:Astigmatism / Q000601:surgery*; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007646:Keratotomy, Radial; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques