RADIAL KERATOTOMY (RK) is the oldest of the modern refractive procedures. Over 1 million RK procedures have been performed in North America since the late 1970s. RK corrects mild forms of nearsightedness. It works by flattening the eye using a spoke-like (radial) pattern of incisions in the front surface of the cornea. Usually, 4 to 16 incisions are made. Although popular as recently as five years ago, this procedure has fallen out of favor with more predictable techniques like LASIK.


Because RK has been around so long, there is a wealth of knowledge about its limitations and potential complications. Specific concerns with radial keratotomy include a long-term shift toward farsightedness, vision that fluctuates during the day, vision that changes with altitude, night glare and halos, and reduced globe integrity. This instability, called progressive hyperopia, was usually seen in eyes undergoing larger amounts of correction – something which is avoided today, through the use of other procedures for these eyes, such as LASIK.

An important note from Dr. Thompson:

