Two-year results of reoperations for radial keratotomy

H. Sawelson and R. G. Marks
Section of Ophthalmology, Cedars Medical Center, Miami, FL.

This study compared the two-year results of 320 radial keratotomy surgeries that did not result in reoperations with those of 67 cases that had reoperations. Follow-up was 76% for cases not reoperated and 79% for reoperated cases. Eyes that had reoperations averaged 2.2 diopters more initial myopia than eyes that did not have reoperations, and they averaged 43% myopia correction in the first surgery vs 84% for eyes that did not require reoperations; the reoperation corrected an additional 47% of residual myopia, for an overall 70% correction of myopia in the two surgeries. These results indicated that twice the desired effect of correction should be attempted in a reoperation to achieve the desired result.