What is the desired effect of steepening the cornea in hyperopic patients?

In hyperopic patients, steepening the cornea is aimed at improving visual acuity. Hyperopia, or farsightedness, occurs when the eye is shorter than normal or the cornea has too little curvature, causing light to focus behind the retina rather than directly on it. By steepening the cornea, you increase its curvature, which allows light to focus more directly on the retina, improving the clarity of vision. This is essential for these patients, as hyperopia often results in blurred vision at close distances.

The focus on correcting visual acuity is crucial because many hyperopic individuals experience difficulty with near vision tasks, and addressing the curvature through surgical interventions or other techniques can alleviate this problem. While options like flattening the anterior surface or altering lens curvature can play a role in overall refractive surgery techniques, the primary goal in hyperopic correction through steepening is to enhance crisp, clear vision. Decreasing eye pressure, while important in the context of overall ocular health, is not the desired effect associated with steepening the cornea for hyperopia.