Matched comparison of corneal higher order aberrations induced by SMILE to femtosecond assisted LASIK and to PRK in correcting moderate and high myopia: 3.00mm vs. 6.00mm

BACKGROUND: The refractive surgeries induce corneal higher order aberrations (C-HOAs). In this study, change of C-HOAs after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) compared to femtosecond assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (femto-LASIK), and to photorefractive keratectomy with mitomycin-C (PRK) under photopic and mesopic conditions. METHODS: In this prospective study, age, gender, and apical corneal thickness (ACT) matched cases with moderate myopia [spherical equivalent (SE) 3.00 to 6.00D) to high myopia (SE > 6.00D)] were enrolled. In addition to visual acuity and refraction, total C-HOA, coma, spherical aberration (SA), and trefoil in the 3- and 6-mm zones were measured before and 3 and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Overall, 372 moderate myopia cases (124 eyes of 124 individuals in each surgical group) and 171 high myopia cases (57 eyes of 57 individuals in each surgical group) were enrolled. At baseline, the differences in age, gender, ACT, uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, and SE were not statistically significant between subgroups of surgical methods within each myopia group (all P > 0.05). At 12 months, in the moderate myopia group, there was less increase in 6-mm zone total C-HOA, coma, and SA with SMILE compared to the other groups (all P < 0.05). In the high myopia group, there was greater increase in photopic total C-HOA and trefoil and less increase in mesopic SA with SMILE (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In correction of moderate myopia, SMILE has better results in mesopic condition. In high myopia correction, femto-LASIK and PRK have better results in photopic and SMILE in mesopic condition.