PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY TO TREAT MYOPIA AND ASTIGMATISM AFTER RADIAL KERATOTOMY AND PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY

Fifteen eyes with an initial myopia between -5.00 diopters (D) and -12 .00 D were treated with radial keratotomy (RK) followed by photorefrac tive keratectomy (PRK) at least 6 months later and observed for 6 mont hs to 24 months. Five eyes that had penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) wer e treated for residual ametropia by PRK and followed for up to two yea rs. For the RK-treated eyes, mean pre-PRK refraction was -4.00 D spher e and +1.25 D cylinder, which improved to -0.52 D sphere and +0.73 D c ylinder. Incidence of complications, including corneal haze, was extre mely low in both the RK and PKP groups. In summary, PRK is a valuable method for correcting ametropia following RK and PKP, with risks simil ar to that for eyes having PRK as the initial refractive procedure.