Comparison of corneal hysteresis and corneal resistance factor after small incision lenticule extraction and femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK: a prospective fellow eye study.

PURPOSE: To compare corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) between eyes treated with small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (femto-LASIK).

SETTING

Beyoğlu Eye Training and Research Hospital.

DESIGN

Prospective comparative case series.

METHODS

Sixty eyes from 30 patients with bilateral myopia or myopic astigmatism were studied. Inclusion criteria were spherical equivalent of subjective manifest refraction (SE) <10diopters (D) and a difference ≤0.50D between the SEs of both eyes. One eye of each patient was treated with SMILE, and the fellow eye underwent femto-LASIK. Randomization was performed using a sealed envelope system. The main outcome measures were CH and CRF measured preoperatively and postoperatively (1 and 6 months).

RESULTS

Preoperative SE was similar in both groups (p=0.852). CH and CRF values were reduced postoperatively in both groups compared to their corresponding preoperative values (p<0.001). At the 6-month follow-up visit, the mean CH values in the SMILE and femto-LASIK groups were 8.95±1.47 and 9.02±1.27, respectively (p=0.852), and the mean CRF values were 7.77±1.37 and 8.07±1.26, respectively (p=0.380).

CONCLUSION

CH and CRF decreased after SMILE. There were no differences between SMILE and femto-LASIK treatments in postoperative CH or CRF values.