To compare the changes in functional optical zone (FOZ) and corneal morphology in myopes between femtosecond small incision laser lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK).

A cohort study was performed.A total of 94 patients (94 eyes) who underwent FS-LASIK or SMILE at Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University from March to December 2021 were enrolled.The selected patients were divided into a SMILE group (46 cases, 46 eyes) and an FS-LASIK group (48 cases, 48 eyes) according to the surgical procedure, and the follow-up period was 6 months.The primary outcome measures were postoperative changes in corneal FOZ and Q-value, and the secondary outcome measures were changes in central corneal thickness (CCT) and mean corneal curvature (Km). Corneal Q-value, horizontal and vertical FOZ diameters, CCT, and Km were recorded before surgery and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months after surgery using the Pentacam anterior segment analysis system, and the differences in each parameter and the trends of changes between the two groups were compared.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University (No.2021-034-k-27). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.

There were statistically significant overall differences in the postoperative horizontal and vertical FOZ diameters between the two groups (horizontal diameter: F_group=7.06, P<0.001; F_time=64.18, P=0.001; vertical diameter: F_group=11.08, P<0.001; F_time=77.14, P<0.001). The horizontal and vertical FOZ diameters were significantly larger in SMILE group than in FS-LASIK group at various postoperative time points, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.001). In the two groups, the postoperative 1-week, 1-month and 6-month horizontal FOZ diameters and the postoperative 1-week and 1-month vertical FOZ diameters were smaller than the postoperative 1-day ones, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). There were significant overall differences in Q-values at different postoperative time points between the two groups (F_grouup=53.11, P=0.019; F_time=29.18, P<0.001). The postoperative 1-day, 1-week, and 1-month Q-values of FS-LASIK group were significantly higher than those of SMILE group (all at P<0.05). The postoperative 1-week Q-value was significantly larger than the postoperative 1-day value in SMILE group (P<0.001). The postoperative Q-values gradually decreased with time in FS-LASIK group, with significant pairwise differences at all adjacent time points (all at P<0.001). There were significant differences in CCT at various postoperative time points between the two groups (F_time=21.43, P<0.01). In FS-LASIK group, the CCT was decreased at 1 week than 1 day after surgery and was increased at 6 months than 1 week after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). In SMILE group, the postoperative 1-week, 1-month and 6-month CCT was increased in comparison with the postoperative 1-day value, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). There was no significant overall difference in the Km between the two groups (F_group=27.29, P=0.41). There were significant pairwise differences in the Km at different postoperative time points between the two groups (all at P<0.001). The postoperative 6-month Km was smaller than the postoperative 1-day value in SMILE group, and the postoperative 6-month Km was greater than the postoperative 1-day value in FS-LASIK group (both at P<0.05).

The FOZ shows a trend of gradual reduction within a month after SMILE and FS-LASIK.The FOZ is larger after SMILE than after FS-LASIK.The morphologic stability of corneal FOZ is better after SMILE than after FS-LASIK.

Myopia; Femtosecond laser small incision lenticule extraction; Femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis; Corneal asphericity; Functional optical zone