Radial Keratotomy

Radial keratotomy is abbreviated as RK and it is used to treat myopia and astigmatism. RK has almost been replaced nowadays with LASIK surgery because the precision from a laser is much better than cutting with a blade. RK is still a very well known procedure though. It is used to reduce the central corneal curvature dramatically in order to put the cornea’s focus back onto the retina although it can not fully cure nearsightedness. People who go through RK surgery may still have to wear eyeglasses in order to see objects up close or to see objects from afar. RK is best used for treating slight nearsightedness.

When both of your eyes need to go through surgery, the doctor will usually recommend that the surgeries be done one at a time. This will reduce the risks of infection from one eye to the other. A contact lens could be worn on the untreated eye while waiting for the other eye to heal. Doctors will usually wait for six weeks before they move on to the next eye.

Who is suitable for Radial Keratotomy?

Here are some of characteristics of ideal candidates for RK

  • Normal eyes
  • Healthy eyes
  • Stable prescription
  • If you have mild to moderate nearsightedness but it should not be getting worse

Just like most types of eye surgery, there are certain medical conditions and eye conditions that will hinder you from going through with RK. Here are some of the unsuitable traits for an RK candidate

  • any disease that will affect the healing of the wound
  • nearsightedness is not stable and is even getting worse
  • abnormal corneas
  • teenagers with unstable prescriptions
  • pathological myopia or when the eyeball does not grow anymore at a young age
  • degenerative changes that are caused by severe nearsightedness like retinal tears
  • diseased corneas

What are some of the risks that are associated with RK?

Here are some of the risks that you have to take when you go through RK

  • further surgery - since laser eye surgery makes the cornea weaker, it will be more prone to injury and succeeding eye surgeries later on. A cataract removal in the future may cause complications and may be difficult to heal from
  • vision correction - you may be required to wear corrective lenses for distance vision or for up close vision or maybe even both after the surgery
  • unpredictability - it is hard to predict the results of an RK surgery. Moreover, they change over time like in cases where patients become more and more farsighted
  • glaucoma
  • over correction - the surgery can result in a mild degree of farsightedness
  • rupture of the cornea - this can occur at the keratotomy scars after trauma to the eye
  • under correction - the surgery may result in a mild degree of nearsightedness
  • irregular astigmatism - the surgery can result in continued cases of double vision or ghost images
  • infection of the cornea - this problem can happen right after the surgery or may manifest itself after a couple of years. As long as the cornea is healing, this is possible
  • glares and halos - this is a problem that manifests itself at night and can last longer than half a year
  • puncture of the cornea

What is involved in the RK procedure?

Here are the steps that are involved in an RK procedure

  • the surgeon will have to find out if there is astigmatism or myopia
  • the surgeon will identify the degree of corneal curvature
  • the surgeon will examine how thick your cornea is
  • the RK procedure will be performed as an outpatient basis and the preparation time will be around two hours. The actual procedure will take less than half an hour
  • a mild sedative will be given to you before the surgery
  • the front surface of the eye is numbed using anaesthetic drops in order to minimize discomfort and reduce any pain
  • eyes are usually operated on one at a time
  • the surgeon will make microscopic radial slits into the cornea without touching the inner eye
  • the length, depth, and arrangement of the micro-incisions are very important and are a crucial success factor
  • the incisions are made using a knife blade
  • the result of the micro-incisions allow the cornea to flatten and result in a partial or complete correction of the myopia. The light will now focus on the retinal screen which will enable the patient to see clearly

What are the side effects after an RK procedure?

Here are some of the side effects that patients will experience after an RK procedure

  • discomfort - you will not experience a lot of pain during the procedure although there may be some itchiness and redness after the procedure. Two days after the surgery, you may feel that there is something in your eye or you may feel a throbbing pain. You can use painkillers as prescribed by your doctor if necessary
  • sensitivity - there will be sensitivity to light for the first day after the surgery
  • glare - there may be glare for the first year or maybe even up to the third year

How do you take care of yourself after an RK procedure?

Here are some tips that you should keep in mind in order to take care of yourself after the procedure

  • you should ask someone to drive you home after the surgery
  • you may have to use eye drops after the surgery in order to prevent any infections and to reduce any inflammation
  • you should put an eye patch over your eyes in order to protect them after the surgery
  • you should avoid wearing make up for up to two days after the surgery
  • you should avoid strenuous exercise and sports for up to two days after the surgery
  • you may not be allowed to shower for up to two days after the surgery
  • you should avoid water sports for up to a week after the surgery
  • you can resume your normal activities after a week. Your vision should be okay after a week although it may be unstable for about six months. If the instability of your vision persists for more than a year then you may have to go through another operation in order to reduce any remaining myopia

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