Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for hyperopia.

OBJECTIVE: Excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) has been shown to be an effective method in the treatment of refractive errors, especially myopia. We evaluated prospectively the efficacy, predictability, stability, and safety of excimer laser PRK in the treatment of hyperopia. METHODS: Thirty-four hyperopic eyes were treated with an Aesculap-Meditec (MEL 60) excimer laser. The patients were divided into two groups. In the low-moderate hyperopia group, baseline spherical equivalent refraction was between +1.50 and +6.00 diopters (D) (mean, +4.20 +/- 1.30 D) and in the high hyperopia group between +6.25 and +9.75 D (mean, +7.70 +/- 1.30 D). Follow-up visits occurred 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: One-year results were available for a total 27 eyes (79%): 15 eyes with low to moderate hyperopia and 12 eyes with high hyperopia. One year after PRK in the low-moderate group, six eyes (40%) had a refractive error within +/- 1.00 D of emmetropia, but in the high hyperopia group only two eyes (17%) were within +/- 1.00 D of emmetropia; three eyes (20%) and one eye (8%) were within +/- 0.50 D, respectively. The stability of the refractive change was better in the low to moderate hyperopia group; in the high hyperopia group there was still some regression after 6 months. At 12 months, 10 eyes (67%) in the low-moderate and one eye (8%) in the high hyperopia group had postoperative uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better. One eye in the low-moderate hyperopia group saw 20/20 without correction. Only one eye lost two lines of spectacle-corrected visual acuity. Haze was more intense in the high hyperopia group, but it did not reduce visual acuity. No vision-threatening complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: When low to moderate hyperopia up to +6.00 D is treated, excimer laser PRK with the Aesculap Meditec MEL60 laser is safe and moderately effective, and refraction stabilizes after 3 months in most eyes. However, PRK is not sufficient to treat high hyperopia in an effective and predictable way.