Predictability of the Achieved Lenticule Thickness in Small Incision Lenticule Extraction for Myopia Correction.

PURPOSE

To investigate the predictability of the achieved lenticule thickness in small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for the correction of myopia.

METHODS

In this prospective study, a total of 80 eyes of 45 patients who underwent the SMILE procedure were included. A Scheimpflug camera was used to measure the preoperative and postoperative corneal topography. Achieved lenticule thicknesses at the pupil center and corneal vertex were calculated by subtracting the postoperative corneal thickness at the pupil center and corneal vertex from preoperative corresponding values. Predictability between the achieved and VisuMax readout at different locations (the pupil center and corneal vertex) and postoperative visits (postoperative day 1 and 6 months) were evaluated using a general linear model.

RESULTS

Achieved lenticule thickness at the pupil center and corneal vertex showed good correlation at both postoperative day 1 (pupil center: r=0.914, corneal vertex: r=0.903) and 6 months (pupil center: r=0.886, corneal vertex: r=0.866). The achieved lenticule thickness at postoperative day 1 was 8.5-μm thinner at the pupil center and 9.6-μm thinner at the corneal vertex than the VisuMax readout.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that the predictability between the achieved and VisuMax readout is favorable. The lenticule thickness at the pupil center is closer to the VisuMax readout than corneal vertex.