Corneal Thickness Profile Changes After Femtosecond LASIK for Hyperopia

PURPOSE: To compare changes in the corneal thickness profile before and 6 months after femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for hyperopia. METHODS: In a prospective noncomparative case series study, 24 eyes of 20 hyperopic patients undergoing femtosecond LASIK were examined preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Corneal profile was measured using Pentacam HR device. Paired t test was used to compare preoperative and postoperative values. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the central corneal thickness changes and attempted spherical equivalent refraction (SER). RESULTS: The mean uncorrected distance visual acuity significantly improved after surgery (P<0.001). Significant differences in central, midperipheral, ablative annular, and peripheral corneal thicknesses were observed from preoperatively to 6 months postoperatively (all P<0.001). There was no significant correlation between the changes in the central corneal thickness and attempted SER (P=0.23). CONCLUSIONS: The corneal thicknesses across the whole ablation zone including central corneal thickness, significantly decrease postoperatively compared with preoperatively.