title: Retrospective comparison of photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy and predictability of photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy become increasingly relevant. This retrospective study compares one surgeon's experience with photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy over a 3-year period from 1990 to 1993.
  
  
  METHODS
  Photorefractive keratectomy was performed on 103 eyes of 76 patients that met the inclusion criteria for the phase IIb, phase III, and phototherapeutic keratectomy studies as delineated by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Radial keratotomy was performed on 117 eyes of 81 patients with up to 9.00 diopters (D) of myopia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the photorefractive keratectomy group, 83% of the eyes achieved uncorrected visual acuity of at least 20/40; 37% saw 20/20; 88% had a refraction within 1.00 D of emmetropia, and 63% within 0.50 D of emmetropia. For the radial keratotomy group, 85% of the eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better; 27% saw 20/20; 88% had a refraction within 1.00 D of emmetropia; and 55% within 0.50 D of emmetropia. There were no serious complications, and only one single eye in each of the photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy groups lost two lines or more of spectacle-corrected visual acuity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Photorefractive keratectomy and radial keratotomy are both effective procedures, and result in similar refractive outcomes for myopia of -1.00 to -9.00 D.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, San Bernardino County Medical Center, California, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Salz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007646:Keratotomy, Radial; D054018:Lasers, Excimer; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity