J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2002 Jul;43(7):1230-1237.

Long-term Observations on the Emmetropization of the High Hyperopia

• Lim HT
• Cho SI
• Lee SJ
• Park SH

Abstract

PURPOSE: We are to investigate the reduction rate of high hyperopia, that is, process of emmetropization.
METHODS
Thirty children who had hyperopia more than spherical equivalent of+4.0 diopter and could be followed at least 3 years were reviewed retrospectively. Data including visual acuity and the magnitude of hyperopia were collected every 6 months from 3 years of age. Annual reduction rates of hyperopia were analysed. Changes in the level of hyperopia were compared with those who had strabismus or astigmatism and those who did not.
RESULTS
The children who had higher degree of initial hyperopia showed the faster rates of annual reduction but also significantly higher level of remained hyperopia (p=0.003). The concurrent presence of astigmatism was associated with a lesser reduction in hyperopia (p=0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that, as a whole, the emmetropization of high hyperopia occurs as a linear function of the initial level and converges toward a low hyperopic value. We have also found that astigmatism might impede emmetropization.

Keyword

Emmetropization; High hyperopia; Hyperopia; Strabismus

MeSH Terms

Astigmatism
Child
Humans
Hyperopia*
Retrospective Studies
Strabismus
Visual Acuity