Treatment of moderate-to-high hyperopia with the WaveLight Allegretto 400 and EX500 excimer laser systems

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy of treating patients with +3.00 diopters (D) to +6.00 D of hyperopia via laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with the WaveLight Allegretto 400 and EX500 excimer laser systems. SETTING Private clinical ophthalmology practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a retrospective study of patients undergoing LASIK treatments of +3.00 to +6.00 D on two different WaveLight laser systems: 163 eyes on the 400 (Hertz) Hz system and 54 eyes on the 500 Hz system. The duration of follow-up was 6 months postoperation. Data were evaluated for uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), spherical equivalents (SEQs), and changes in these parameters (eg, loss of vision, regression over time). RESULTS Treatment with both lasers was safe and effective, with loss of one line of CDVA in four of 162 eyes using the 400 Hz laser system, and none of the 54 eyes with the 500 Hz laser system. Overall, regression ≥0.75 D from goal at 6 months was observed in 11.7% (19/163) of eyes in the 400 Hz laser group and 9.26% (5/54) of eyes in the 500 Hz laser group (regression ≥0.50 D =77.9% [127/163] and 77.8% [42/54], respectively). The mean SEQ regressions for all eyes with moderate hyperopia were 0.10 and 0.18 D for those with high hyperopia. CONCLUSIONS Both the 400 and 500 Hz excimer laser systems were safe and effective for the LASIK treatment of moderate-to-high hyperopia. The overall rate of regression was low and the amount of regression was relatively small with both systems.