Holmium laser thermokeratoplasty for the reversal of hyperopia after myopic photorefractive keratectomy.

BACKGROUND Overcorrection following myopic photorefractive keratectomy, with a target of emmetropia, leaving a spherical equivalent of more than 1.0 D of hyperopia is of the order of 1%. This study analyses the efficacy, safety, and 1 year stability of outcome of laser thermokeratoplasty (LTK) carried out on eyes with persistent symptomatic hyperopia following photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for myopia. METHOD 11 consecutive eyes in 11 patients underwent LTK using the Technomed Holmium 25, contact holmium:YAG laser system. The mean spherical equivalent before LTK was +2.06 D (SD 1.02 D, range +1.00 D to +4.75 D) based on a non-cycloplegic refraction. Between four and 16 burns were used per eye, depending on the error to be corrected. RESULTS The mean spherical equivalent was +0.511 D (SD 0.551) at 1 year. Ten of the 11 eyes were seeing 6/12 or greater, unaided (91%) and nine were within 1.0 D of the target sphere equivalent (82%). Recovery of unaided acuity occurred during the first week in four cases and the first month in the rest. One eye lost greater than one line of best corrected vision (9%), going from 6/5 to 6/7.5 and one gained a line (9%), 6/12 to 6/7.5. No complications occurred during the follow up period. CONCLUSIONS In this study of a small number of eyes with hyperopia induced by PRK, LTK appears safe, predictable, and stable for low errors followed for 1 year.