Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy for bilateral hyperopia and hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia in children: One-year outcomes
Received 6 March 2009; received in revised form 26 June 2009; accepted 10 August 2009.
Purpose
To assess the refractive, visual acuity, and binocular results of laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) in children with bilateral hyperopia or hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia.
Setting
Nonhospital surgical facility and hospital clinic, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Methods
This retrospective review comprised children with bilateral hyperopia or hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia who had LASEK. Refractive status, visual acuity, and binocular vision were assessed and recorded 2 months and 1 year postoperatively.
Results
The mean spherical equivalent (SE) in all 72 hyperopic eyes (47 patients) was +3.42 diopters (D) (range 0.00 to +12.50 D) preoperatively and +0.59 D (range −1.25 to +2.00 D) 1 year postoperatively. After LASIK, 41.7% of eyes had improved corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA). No patient had reduced CDVA or loss of fusional ability; there was a 25.0% improvement in stereopsis at 1 year. The mean anisometropic difference in the hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia subgroup (18 eyes, 10 patients) was 4.39 D (range +1.75 to +7.75 D) preoperatively and +0.51 D (range 0 to +0.875 D) at 1 year. One year postoperatively, 83% of anisometropic eyes were within ±1.00 D of the fellow eye and 94.0% were within ±3.00 D. Postoperatively, 64.7% of eyes had improved CDVA with no reduced CDVA or loss of fusional ability; there was a 22% improvement in stereopsis at 1 year.
Conclusion
Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy improved visual acuity in pediatric hyperopia with or without associated hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia.
Financial Disclosure
No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
From Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Corresponding author: William F. Astle, MD, FRCSC, Dipl ABO, Regional Director, Vision Clinic–Alberta Children's Hospital, 2888 Shaganappi Trail Northwest, Calgary, Alberta T3B 6A8, Canada.
ABSTRACT