CK an option for treating hyperopia after cataract surgery

Conductive keratoplasty can be an effective alternative to excimer laser refractive surgery for managing residual hyperopia after cataract surgery, a study found.

Jorge L. Alió, MD, PhD, and colleagues in Alicante, Spain, performed CK in 16 eyes of 16 patients following cataract surgery. All eyes had low to moderate residual hyperopia or hyperopic astigmatism.

Before CK, the treatment group had a mean uncorrected visual acuity of 0.32 ± 0.16, mean best corrected visual acuity of 0.67 ± 0.26, and mean spherical equivalent refraction of +1.73 ± 0.64 D.

Dr. Alió performed all CK procedures using the ViewPoint CK system from Refractec.

Patients reported some discomfort and photophobia during the first several days immediately after CK. No patients experienced vision-threatening complications, the study authors reported.

At 12 months' follow-up, mean UCVA of the patients was 0.5 ± 0.21, mean BCVA was 0.68 ± 0.24 and mean spherical equivalent refraction was +0.39 ± 0.84 D. Ten eyes (62.5%) achieved a UCVA of 0.5 or better, according to the study. One eye lost 1 line of BCVA, the authors noted.

Following CK, patients' refractive corrections remained relatively stable over time, with no statistically significant changes in refraction between 6 months and 12 months follow-up.

The study is published in the September issue of the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.