Quantitative Analysis of Human Corneal Lenticule Surface Microstructure Irregularity with 3D Optical Profiler Using...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Laser Surgery

Background:

• Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) is a popular refractive surgery procedure.
• Assessing the quality of the lenticule surface is crucial for understanding surgical outcomes.
• Corneal surface topography and smoothness impact visual acuity and patient satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively evaluate the cutting quality of SMILE by measuring corneal lenticule surface roughness.
• To compare surface roughness in different areas (central, pericentral, peripheral) and planes (anterior, posterior) of the lenticule.
• To analyze the relationship between surface roughness and patient myopia levels.

Main Methods:

• White light interferometry was employed to measure surface roughness.
• Sixty-three myopic patients (102 eyes) undergoing SMILE surgery were included.
• Measurements were taken on the anterior and posterior surfaces of the corneal lenticule in various zones.

Main Results:

• The anterior lenticule surface was significantly smoother than the posterior surface (P < .01).
• Surface roughness increased progressively from the central to the peripheral areas of the lenticule (P < .01).
• Higher myopia correlated with increased peripheral surface roughness, and a positive correlation was found between posterior central roughness and Percentage Tissue Altered (PTA) score.

Conclusions:

• Femtosecond laser cutting in SMILE results in an inhomogeneous lenticule surface.
• Factors such as higher myopia and intraoperative complications like suction loss can contribute to greater surface irregularities.
• Understanding these factors is key to optimizing SMILE surgical precision and outcomes.