Trapezoidal astigmatic keratotomy. Quantification in human cadaver eyes

T. D. Lindquist, J. B. Rubenstein, S. W. Rice, P. A. Williams and R. L. Lindstrom

The mechanism by which surgical procedures correct astigmatism are incompletely understood and, therefore, the results are often unpredictable. In this study, a Terry keratometer was used to analyze the effect of each component part of a 3-, 4-, and 5-mm trapezoidal astigmatic keratotomy. Semiradial incisions along the horizontal meridian produced corneal flattening along the horizontal meridian twice that of the vertical meridian, therefore inducing positive cylinder astigmatism at 90 degrees. A single pair of tangential incisions placed 5 mm apart, when added to the semiradial incisions, accounted for 100%, 87%, and 78% of the maximal effect from the 3-, 4-, and 5-mm completed trapezoidal astigmatic keratotomies, respectively. This study suggests that maximal correction of astigmatism may be attained with a single set of tangential incisions placed 5 mm apart between two sets of semiradial incisions.