Surgical procedure used to correct moderate cases of astigmatism. Often performed at the same time as the Radial Keratotomy (RK) procedure for correcting nearsightedness. The procedures are somewhat similar, differing primarily in the pattern of incisions made in the outer periphery of the cornea in order to change its shape to the curvature needed to correct the refractive problem. Both AK and RK have been largely replaced by newer refractive surgery procedures. See Refractive Surgery in Eye Care Encyclopedia.
Procedure in which a surgeon cuts the cornea so that is more spherical when it heals, thus reducing astigmatism.
An incisional refractive surgical technique in which transverse incisions are made in the cornea to reduce or eliminate astigmatism.
A procedure used to reduce astigmatism by placing small incisions, by hand, in the cornea.
is a variant of Radial Keratotomy. It is an incision surgical procedure, used to correct astigmatism. In AK, transverse incisions are made in the surface of the cornea to smooth out its curvature and make it symmetrical. cataract is a cloudiness or complete opacity of the eye's natural crystalline lens. This condition results in diminished ability to focus. Cataracts may be congenital or caused by trauma, disease or the aging process. If vision loss is significant, surgical removal of the affected lens may be necessary. In order to replace the refractive power lost when that happens, a synthetic intraocular lens (IOL) may be used to provide missing optical power. The cornea is the transparent covering over the front of the eye. It provides most of the eye's refractive power.
Astigmatic keratotomy, or AK, can be used to treat astigmatism. During AK surgery, small incisions are used to change the shape of the cornea, making it more spherical. This treatment is rarely used today due to the development of new treatments.
A surgical procedure in which microscopic incisions are placed in the peripheral cornea to create a more spherical shape. This technique has largely been replaced by more advanced Laser Vision Correction techniques.
Surgical procedure in which microscopic cuts are made in the cornea so that astigmatism is reduced upon healing.