CORRECTION OF HYPEROPIA INDUCED BY PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY USING NON CONTACT HO-YAG LASER THERMAL KERATOPLASTY

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of non-contact holmi um:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty in correcting hyperopia induced by p hotorefractive keratectomy (PRK), METHODS: Non-contact holmium:YAG las er thermal keratoplasty was applied to 14 eyes with significant hypero pia induced by PRK, The mean spherical equivalent refraction before ho lmium:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty was +4.20 +/- 1,80 diopters (D) ( range, +1.75 to +6.25 D), The results were evaluated 12 months after h olmium:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty, RESULTS: No sight-threatening c omplications occurred, Recovery of spectacle-corrected visual acuity t ook from 2 to 6 weeks. The immediate significant myopic shift that dev eloped in all eyes gradually receded over 6 to 8 weeks, All eyes were relatively stable after 9 months, At 12 months, there was no statistic ally significant difference (p < .005) between the mean preoperative s pectacle-corrected visual acuity (0.71 +/- 0.12) and the mean postoper ative uncorrected visual acuity (0.65 +/- 0.28), At 12 months there wa s a mean increase of 4.60 +/- 1.20 D in central keratometric power, To tal regression did not occur in any eye. CONCLUSION: Non contact holmi um:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty offers a safe and effective alternat ive to correct PRE-induced hyperopia.