Clinical Results of Photorefractive Keratectomy for Undercorrected Myopia after Radial Keratotomy

ABSTRACT

We report clinical results of 13 myopic patients(18 eyes), which remained undercorrected following radial keratotomy and then underwent photo refractive keratectomy(PRK) with an excimer laser(193 nm) to correct the residual myopia, with follow up of 1 year. Patient's mean age was 26 years. The time interval between radial keratotomy and PRK ranged 12 to 98 months(mean 40 months); group I(14 eyes) 6 diopter. At one year after PRK, uncorrected visual acuity was 20/25 or more in 15 eyes(83%). Mean manifest refractive error changed from -3.41 +/- 1.97D preoperatively to -0.91 +/- 0.41D after PRK in group I and fron -7.44 +/- 0.61D to -1.88 +/- 0.97 in group II. The mean keratometric power changed from 40.38D preoperatively to 38.32D after PRK in group I and from 42.93D to 38.56D in group II. Most common complaints were halo phenomenon and decreased vision at night. Persistent comeal haze(grade 2) was noted only in one eye at 3 months after PRK, but reduced to trace at 1 year. No other significant complications occurred. Therefore, excimer laser PRK appears to be an available method to correct residual myopia after radial keratotomy.