Photorefractive keratectomy to create toric ablations for correction of astigmatism.

Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy, developed to perform radially symmetric ablations to correct myopic or hyperopic refractive errors, was used to create toric ablations designed to correct cylindrical errors. An expanding slit was created, with no refractive change intended parallel to the slit opening, and central flattening was induced in the meridian in which the slit was expanded. In polymethyl methacrylate blocks, the induced cylinder (as measured with a lensometer) agreed closely (r2 = .99) with intended change, and in plastic corneas, induction of the cylinder could be demonstrated with computer-assisted topographic analysis. Adult pigmented rabbits underwent induction of toric ablations in two-diopter increments; measured keratometric change correlated with desired change (r2 = .87 at 3 weeks; r2 = .89 at 12 weeks). Toric ablations with the excimer laser appear to represent a promising strategy for the correction of cylindrical errors that do not rely on creation of deep corneal incisions, excisions, or compression sutures.