Astigmatic keratotomy followed by photorefractive keratectomy in the treatment of compound myopic astigmatism.

Eleven eyes of 9 patients that had compound myopic astigmatism were treated by astigmatic keratotomy followed 1 month later by photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). In 9 eyes arcuate incisions were performed, in 1 eye a modified Ruiz procedure was performed, and in 1 eye radial T cuts were done. The mean spherical equivalent was -8.26 +/- 2.51 diopters (D) after the astigmatic keratotomy but before photorefractive keratectomy, and -0.36 +/- 0.93 D after photorefractive keratectomy. The mean cylinder was -3.11 +/- 1.16 D preoperatively, and -0.14 +/- 0.9 D postoperatively. Combined astigmatic keratotomy and photorefractive keratectomy are effective treatments for compound myopic astigmatism.