Is radial keratotomy a very common procedure?

Not any more: Rk or radial keratotomy was once very popular as a refractive surgery about 25-30 years ago, but there have been safety concerns due to the very deep incisions needed in the cornea. Laser procedures such as lasik, lasek and prk or photorefractive keratectomy have mainly replaced rk.

No: Rk was performed before laser refractive surgery was available. Although it was effective in a lot of people, the results were quite variable and over time many patients noted major changes in their prescriptions. Laser procedures are far more accurate, and treat the upper 10% of the cornea, rather than the nearly full thickness of it.