Radial keratotomy. Clinicopathologic case report.

A 36-year-old man underwent radial keratotomy in both eyes to correct mild myopia, with good visual results. The corneoscleral buttons were obtained following the patient's death 17 months after the second procedure and were examined by light, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy. The average depth of the scars was 86.8% of the corneal thickness, and the deeper portions of the wounds healed by fibrous scarring, with no vascularization. The superficial portion of the incision healed by epithelial ingrowth. The average depth of epithelium within the wounds was 25.3% of the corneal thickness. The presence of epithelium in the wounds of radial keratotomy may play a role in decreased wound strength and flattening. The gradual replacement of epithelium by fibrous scarring may be a factor in the regression of corneal flattening.