Health Topics for Eyes and Vision

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Refractive Surgery

Radial Keratotomy

Radial keratotomy, or RK, is a surgical procedure to correct nearsightedness. The nearsighted eye does not focus properly. A defect exists in the way light passes through the eye. RK corrects or reduces this defect.

Painless, shallow cuts are made on the surface of the cornea to flatten it. The procedure changes the shape of the cornea so that the eye regains its ability to focus properly. As the cuts heal, vision is improved. RK is performed on an outpatient basis and takes about 15 minutes.

After the surgery, a patch is worn over the eye for several hours. Antibiotic drops are used for a few days to prevent infection and promote healing. When the procedure corrects the visual problem, the patient may be free from wearing glasses or contacts. In most cases, better vision is noticed right away.

RK is elective surgery. Most health insurance plans do not cover RK surgery. There are no guarantees as to how well patients will see after the surgery. In most cases, RK provides useful vision. With or without RK, reading glasses may be needed for people over 40. RK does not improve sight for reading and close work.

Side-effects, such as halos or star bursts around lights, have been reported after RK. Some side effects are permanent. Infection and vision loss are potential risks, although very rare. Other risks include corneal ulcer, cataract formation, fluctuating vision, increased sensitivity to light, and loss of useful vision caused by irregular healing of the cornea.

RK surgery does not protect against developing eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinal degeneration, or detachment.

The long-term results of RK are still unknown. Be sure follow-up visits are included in the fee, as well as more surgery if your eyes require further correction.

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