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Updated: Mar 15, 2026
Ye's Swing Technique for Small-incision Lenticule Extraction Surgery
Published on: June 27, 2025
Four-year observation of predictability and stability of small incision lenticule extraction
Tian Han1, Ke Zheng1, Yingjun Chen1
1Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University, No.19 Baoqing Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China.
Background:
To investigate long-term refractive outcomes, wavefront aberrations and quality of life after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for moderate to high myopia.
Methods:
A total of 26 patients (47 eyes) with preoperative mean spherical equivalent (SE) of -6.30 ± 1.47 diopters (D) who underwent SMILE were recruited. The measurements included uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest refraction, wavefront aberrations, and quality of life.
Results:
At 4 years postoperatively, UDVA was better than or equal to 20/20 in 92 % of eyes. The efficacy index was 1.07 ± 0.16. 89 % of eyes were within ± 0.5 D of the intended refractive target. No eye lost any Snellen lines. The safety index was 1.16 ± 0.14. No significant changes of SE occurred among postoperative follow-ups at months 1, 3, 6 and years 1, 2, 4 (P > 0.05, Scheffe test). Higher-order aberrations, coma, spherical aberration and higher-order astigmatism increased postoperatively, and no significant changes of aberrations were detected among the 1-month, 6-month or 4-year follow-ups postoperatively (37 eyes). Compared to the spectacles group, the surgery group showed a significantly higher total score on quality of life (45.71 ± 2.61 vs 39.96 ± 3.56, P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
SMILE provides a predictable and stable correction of moderate to high myopia as documented by long-term follow-up.
