BACKGROUND: The efficacy of a new ablation algorithm for the correction of hyperopic astigmatism with the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser was evaluated. METHODS: Twenty-five eyes with mean preoperative hyperopia of +3.76 +/- 1.70 D and a mean hyperopic cylinder of 2.20 +/- 0.80 D underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) using a new algorithm with the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser (software version 3.0). The new algorithm differed from previous algorithms in that less tissue was removed for the same amount of diopters, and there was less of a dioptric gradient between the optical zone and the transition zone. Mean preoperative spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 0.8 +/- 0.09. Minimum follow-up was 6 months. RESULTS: Mean postoperative spectacle corrected visual acuity (geometric mean) increased significantly to 0.89 +/- 0.1. The mean sphere decreased by 3.08 D and the mean cylinder by 1.60 D. CONCLUSION: Hyperopic PRK using the Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser with this new algorithm for hyperopic astigmatism appears to be safe and effective.
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Vinciguerra et al. (1999) studied this question.