Hydrogel Inlay for Presbyopia: Objective and Subjective Visual Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in visual performance and ocular optical quality after implantation of a corneal hydrogel inlay as a treatment for presbyopia.

METHODS

A Raindrop Near Vision Inlay (ReVision Optics, Lake Forest, CA) was implanted monocularly on the stromal bed of a femtosecond laser-assisted generated corneal flap of non-dominant eyes of 22 patients with emmetropic presbyopia (preoperative spherical equivalent range: -0.50 to 1.00 diopters). Efficacy was determined by measuring near and distance visual acuities and ocular aberrations, and satisfaction was assessed by a patient questionnaire.

RESULTS

The preoperative monocular uncorrected near visual acuity of the inlay inserted eye was 20/129 ± 1 Snellen (range: 20/135 to 20/61 Snellen) and improved to 20/35 ± 2 Snellen (range: 20/61 to 20/20 Snellen) (P < .01) at 6 months postoperatively. The monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity of the eye receiving the inlay was 20/25 ± 2 Snellen (range: 20/50 to 20/20 Snellen) preoperatively and 20/25 ± 1 Snellen (range: 20/50 to 20/20 Snellen) at 6 months postoperatively (P =.257). According to the questionnaire responses, 82% of patients were satisfied. This was despite near glasses needs remaining in 13.6% of the cohort and the presence of glare and a decrease in night vision in approximately 40% of patients. The primary spherical aberration coefficient Z4(0) changed from positive to negative values in all patients (P < .01). However, the point spread function showed no significant change.

CONCLUSIONS

Hydrogel corneal inlays improve uncorrected near visual acuity in patients with presbyopia with only moderate effect on visual quality. However, the satisfaction with this therapy was relatively lower in these Korean patients than that reported previously in Western patients.