Radial Keratotomy or RK can be described as a refractive surgical procedure that helps correct myopia. It was developed by the Russian Ophthalmologist Svyatoslav Fyodorov in the year 1974. Though there are many newer types of surgeries that also treat shortsightedness in people, Radial Keratotomy still remains popular for the treatment of astigmatism in several patients.
The Radial Keratotomy needs to be conducted on an outpatient basis, either at a surgery center or in a surgeon’s office. Since several cuts are made in the cornea, local anesthesia is always used.
The incisions made to the cornea flatten it, which reduces nearsightedness. In case you are suffering from astigmatism too, your surgeon will need to make additional cuts, in order to flatten the part of the cornea that is misshapen. The entire RK procedure should take no more than 15 minutes for one eye.
Once the surgery is complete, you’ll need to wear a patch or contact lens on the eye for a day. In case of any pain, you can ask your doctor to prescribe some medication. You do need to go to your doctor the next day, so that he can examine your eye and prescribe the appropriate eye drops. In the next few weeks, you will need to schedule many follow up visits.
Very often, surgeons perform the surgery on one eye and analyze the outcome, before treating the second eye. The time gap between the two surgeries is about 6 weeks. This delay helps reduce the risks of corneal infection to the second eye.
While you wait for the second surgery, your doctor will advise you to use contact lenses for the eye that is still myopic, to avoid any vision distortion.
The most commonly seen complications of the radial keratotomy include -
Unfortunately, because of the shape of your eye after the surgery, you won’t be able to wear contact lens for better vision. If any of these complications occur, your doctor will advise you to undergo retreatment.
In some rare cases, serious complications may also arise because of the radial keratotomy, which are a threat to your vision. These include -
No deaths have ever been known to occur because of the radial keratotomy and health experts are still not sure about any long-term side effects. Some of the less common or rare side effects of the radial keratotomy include -
Fortunately, these side effects are not serious and can be easily addressed by your doctor. However, it is best to get these problems treated as soon as possible.
The cost of the radial keratotomy may vary, depending upon several factors like the doctor who is performing it and facility you choose. On average, you could spend anywhere between US$ 1,000 and US$ 1,500 per eye. Because this is an elective procedure, most insurance companies do not cover the cost of the RK.
Not everyone is a suitable candidate for the radial keratotomy. This surgery will not help correct your vision, if the nearsightedness has been caused by keratoconus. In case you are below the age of 18, you eyes could still change their shape and therefore, you need to wait and see if this surgery is required. Therefore, if you are planning to undergo this surgery, do speak to your doctor about it first.
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