Radial keratotomy complications.

In a new surgical procedure, adverse reactions or complications may surface without most ophthalmic surgeons experiencing them or being aware of them. Even those with a large series of cases may never see certain problems. Through a collaborative effort with over 200 radial keratotomy surgeons totaling 63,000 cases nearly every significant complication has been documented. This study of radial keratotomy complications includes the number of patients and percentage of the total of the following: intraoperative occurrences which generally do not affect vision, which include microperforations and macroperforations; postoperative changes which do not affect vision: limbal "peeking" and star pattern with light; transient occurrences which tend to resolve with time: ptosis, recurrent erosions, corneal ulcer, microwound abscess, delayed wound healing, inferior rectus palsy, glare or fluctuating vision after six months, iritis, and stromal keratitis; postoperative changes which can affect vision (correctible): overcorrection more than 1.5 diopters, marked undercorrection more than -2.00 diopters, irregular astigmatism, neovascularization after soft-contact-lens wear, and best-corrected acuity decreased usually only one line; and postoperative changes which can affect vision (uncorrectible): retrobulbar hemorrhage and endophthalmitis, loss of the eye, herpes keratitis, and cataract formation.