[New progress in the reuse of human corneal stromal lenticules from SMILE]

With the extensive development of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), a large number of human corneal stromal lenticules were extracted integrally during the operation, which led some experts to study the reuse of the lenticules. In experimental research, the lenticules were used to culture fibroblasts, construct corneal scaffolds and describe the biomechanical behaviors of cornea by cytobiology, immunology and biomechanics. In clinical study, the lenticules had been successfully reimplanted into autologous or allogenic cornea of human subjects for correcting hyperopia and presbyopic, patching corneal perforation and treating defective keratopathy and so on. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:144-148).