Hyperopic laser in situ keratomileusis with the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and predictability of hyperopi c laser in situ keratomileusis (H-LASIK) using modified software, Design: Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Participants: The first 72 consecutive eyes of 44 patients with up to +5.00 diopters (D) hyperopia. Intervention: Hyperopic LASIK using the Automatic Corneal Shaper (ACS; Chir on Vision, Claremont, CA) and the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser (Nidek, Tokyo , Japan). Main Outcome Measures: Uncorrected visual acuity, manifest spherical equiva lent (MSE), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and complications were stu died. Results: At 6 months, in the low hyperopia group (<3.00 D), mean MSE was +0 .30 +/- 0.71 D, with 88.9% eyes within 1 D of emmetropia compared with +1.0 9 +/- 0.92 D and 51.8% within 1 D of emmetropia in the moderate hyperopia g roup (greater than or equal to 3.00 D; P = 0.003). Uncorrected visual acuit y was 20/40 or better in 43 of 45 eyes (95.6%) and in 21 of 27 (77.8%) eyes in the low and moderate hyperopia groups, respectively. Only one eye (1.4% ) from the moderate hyperopia group lost two lines of BCVA, Eighteen eyes ( 25%) required retreatment to correct residual hyperopia, 9 eyes (20.0%) in the low hyperopia group and 9 eyes (33.3%) in the moderate hyperopia group. Retreatments resulted in an MSE of +0.02 +/- 0.45 D and +0.04 +/- 0.73 D i n the low and moderate hyperopia groups, respectively. No flap-related comp lications were seen. Conclusions: Hyperopic LASIK with the ACS and the Nidek EC-5000 excimer las er using our modified software is a safe, effective, and predictable proced ure for low hyperopia, Results are satisfactory up to moderate hyperopia. S ignificant regression can occur for low and moderate hyperopia, Retreatment can be performed safely and effectively to improve the visual and refracti ve results. Ophthalmology 2000;107:1132-1137 (C) 2000 by the American Acade my of Ophthalmology.