Automated lamellar keratoplasty for the correction of hyperopia

Hyperopic automated lamellar keratoplasty (H-ALK) is a refractive procedure that corrects low to moderate hyperopia of up to +5.00 diopters (D). In this retrospective series, we examined the efficacy, predictability, and safety of H-ALK in 85 eyes in 49 patients. Follow-up was from 4 to 34 weeks (mean 18 weeks). Eyes were divided into three subsets: those in which we attempted an emmetropic result (n = 45), those in which we attempted to reduce, but not eliminate, hyperopia greater than 5.00 D (n = 23), and those in which we attempted a monovision result of -1.50 D (n = 17). In the eyes in which we attempted emmetropia, 76% achieved uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better and 78.6% were within a range of -1.00 to +0.87 D. In those in which we attempted monovision, 47% achieved a spherical equivalent result between -2.50 and -1.00 D because of a tendency toward undercorrection. In those in which we attempted to reduce hyperopia, there was a mean correction of 4.33 D (standard deviation 1.36 D), with a range of 2.12 to 6.75 D. The most significant complication was a reduction in best corrected visual acuity of one to three lines in 11 of 85 eyes; this was transient in six eyes. These preliminary results compare favorably with those of other procedures to correct hyperopia.