Radial keratotomy: a comprehensive evaluation.

A prospective clinical investigation of radial keratotomy employing the Fyodorov method and instrumentation was initiated in March, 1980. The results of the first 147 eyes undergoing this surgical procedure for the reduction or elimination of myopia were analyzed one year following surgery. The mean preoperative, uncorrected visual acuity was finger counting vision and the mean preoperative myopic spherical equivalent was 5.33 diopters. The preoperative myopic refractive error ranged from 1.75 to 11.75 diopters. Radial keratotomy resulted in a mean uncorrected visual acuity of 20/35 with a mean reduction on myopia of 4.66 diopters. Eighty percent of the 147 eyes experienced 20/40 or better uncorrected vision. Sixty-eight percent of high myopia eyes (6.00 to 11.75 D) attained this level of uncorrected vision with a mean reduction of myopia of 6.23 diopters. Glare and variation of vision were the most frequently reported complications. A non-progressive endothelial cell loss of 5.2 percent was observed. The degree of preexisting myopia, patient age, fellow eye experience and surgeon learning curve significantly influenced the surgical result and facilitated the predictability of the procedure. Incision depth was directly related to surgical result. The low myopia group achieved stabilization of effect by six months while stabilization occurred later in patients with high degrees of initial myopia. Patient satisfaction was high and 78 per cent of the patients elected to undergo radial keratotomy in their fellow eye.