Simultaneous LASIK with intracorneal inlay improves uncorrected near visual acuity

Simultaneous intracorneal inlay implantation and LASIK can treat presbyopia in emmetropic, hyperopic and myopic patients, according to a large study.
“Patients were satisfied with decreased dependence on reading glasses regardless of the preoperative [spherical equivalent] range,” the study authors said. “However, postoperative symptoms, such as dry eyes, halo, glare or night-vision disturbances, occurred occasionally.”
The prospective analysis included 360 eyes of 180 patients with a mean age of 52.4 years. Patients underwent simultaneous bilateral LASIK and implantation of a Kamra corneal inlay (AcuFocus) in the nondominant eye for presbyopia and ametropia.
Follow-up examinations were performed at 1 day, 1 week, and 1, 3 and 6 months. A questionnaire was used to gauge patient satisfaction with vision without reading glasses.
Study results showed that among eyes with inlays, mean logMAR uncorrected near visual acuity improved by seven lines in hyperopic eyes, six lines in emmetropic eyes and two lines in myopic eyes.
Mean logMAR uncorrected distance visual acuity improved by three lines in hyperopic eyes, one line in emmetropic eyes and 10 lines in myopic eyes.
Patient satisfaction with vision increased significantly in hyperopic and emmetropic patients at 6 months after surgery (P = .005); satisfaction did not increase among myopic patients.
The need for reading glasses at 6 months was similar among hyperopes, emmetropes and myopes, the authors said.