Radial Keratotomy

This is a photo of the right eye of a patient that underwent Radial Keratotomy (RK) surgery over 30 years ago. Before having Radial Keratotomy surgery this patient was very nearsighted (myopia) in both eyes. For the first 5 years after the RK surgery, this patient saw well with both eyes. Before having the RK refractive surgery both eyes had the same level of myopia. About 5 years after the RK surgery was done this patient slowly began loosing quality vision. Eventually this eye became very farsighted and astigmatic. This was due to changes along the surface of the cornea which eventually became very distorted and irregular. For years this patient struggled with ever changing vision, often with the vision changing from morning to afternoon. Eyeglasses and conventional contact lenses were unable to improve this patient’s vision. What this patient experienced is very common in patients who underwent Radial Keratotomy many years ago. Irregular, distorted corneas are just one of the complications we see in patients years after they underwent Radial Keratotomy. In this photo note the wide open incisions, still open years after the RK surgery was done. We fit both of this patient’s eyes with gas permeable scleral lenses which are allowing the patient to see clearly (20/20) and comfortably for the first time in many years.