Keratectomy

Removal of part of the cornea. This can be done by surgical excision or by laser. One such laser procedure is PRK (photorefractive keratectomy).

* * *

An operation done to change the refraction of the cornea; a crescentic piece of corneal stroma is removed and the resultant corneal wound is sutured. This steepens the cornea and increases its power in that axis. SEE ALSO: keratotomy. [kerato- + G. ektome, excision]

- automated lamellar k. resection of a disk of corneal tissue using a precise machine to alter the refractive power of the eye.

- photorefractive k. (PRK) removal of part of the cornea with a laser to change its shape, and thus to modify the refractive error of the eye (reduce its myopia, for example).

- phototherapeutic k. (PTK) ablation of diseased corneal tissue using an excimer laser.

* * *

ker·a·tec·to·my .ker-ə-'tek-tə-mē n, pl -mies surgical excision of part of the cornea see photorefractive keratectomy

* * *

n.

an operation in which a part of the cornea is removed, usually a superficial layer. This procedure is now frequently done by an excimer laser, either to correct refractive errors (myopia, hypermetropia), by reshaping the surface of the cornea (photorefractive keratectomy; PRK), or to remove diseased corneal tissue (phototherapeutic keratectomy). See also automated lamellar keratectomy.

* * *

ker·a·tec·to·my (ker″ə-tekґtə-me) [kerat- + ectomy] excision of a portion of the cornea, usually done for anterior staphyloma.