Purpose:
To compare visual outcomes of early enhancement following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) versus laser
in situ
keratomileusis (LASIK).
Methods:
Retrospective analysis of eyes (patients operated in the setting of a tertiary eye care hospital between 2014 and 2020) requiring early enhancement (within one year of primary surgery) was conducted. Stability of refractive error, corneal tomography, and anterior segment Optical Coherence Tomography (AS-OCT) for epithelial thickness was performed. The correction post regression was done using photorefractive keratectomy and flap lift in eyes, wherein the primary procedure was SMILE and LASIK, respectively. Pre- and post enhancement corrected and uncorrected distance visual acuity (CDVA and UDVA), mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE), and cylinder were analyzed. IBM SPSS statistical software.
Results:
In total, 6350 and 8176 eyes post SMILE and LASIK, respectively, were analyzed. Of these, 32 eyes of 26 patients (0.5%) post SMILE and 36 eyes of 32 patients (0.44%) post-LASIK required enhancement. Post enhancement (flap lift in LASIK, and PRK in SMILE group) UDVA was logMAR 0.02 ± 0.05 and 0.09 ± 0.16 (
P
= 0.009), respectively. There was no significant difference between the refractive sphere (
P
= 0.33) and MRSE (
P
= 0.09). In total, 62.5% of the eyes in the SMILE group and 80.5% in the LASIK group had a UDVA of 20/20 or better (
P
= 0.04).
Conclusion:
PRK post SMILE demonstrated comparable results to flap lift post LASIK and is a safe and effective approach for early enhancement post SMILE.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.