Three hundred consecutive cases of radial keratotomy performed between 1985 and 1990 were reviewed. There were no sight threatening complications of surgery and no patient lost one or more lines of corrected Snellen acuity. Overall 78.7% saw 6/12 or better unaided postoperatively and 51.7% saw 6/6 or better. Refraction showed 61.3% to be within 1 dioptre of emmetropia and 86.7% were within 2 dioptres. Further analysis demonstrated that results of unaided acuity and proximity to emmetropia were much better for low (< -2.87 D) and moderate (-3.0 to -5.87 D) than for high (> -6.0 D) myopes.