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Updated: Oct 11, 2025
Ye's Swing Technique for Small-incision Lenticule Extraction Surgery
Published on: June 27, 2025
Bilateral Corneal Ectasia 3 Years After Small Incision Lenticule Extraction in a Borderline Case
César Hernández-Chavarría1, Mónica Benedetti S1, Gonzalo García de Oteyza2
1Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México, I.A.P. México City, México.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to report a case of bilateral ectasia 3 years after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) in a patient with normal preoperative topography of the right eye and abnormal topography of the left eye.
Methods:
This study was a case report.
Results:
A 22-year-old man developed bilateral corneal ectasia after SMILE. The preoperative corneal topography of the right eye was unremarkable, with a minimum corneal thickness of 511 μm in the right eye, and the abnormal corneal topography of the left eye revealed a risk factor for developing ectasia, with a minimum corneal thickness of 514 μm in the left eye. The refractive error was -4.50 to 3.50 × 10 degrees in his right eye and -4.25 to 3.50 × 0 degrees in his left eye with a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20. An uncomplicated SMILE was performed; after his last follow-up visit at 1 month, the patient was lost to follow-up for 3 years. After that time, he presented with visual loss with left predominance. Bilateral ectasia was diagnosed through corneal topography, and crosslinking was performed in both eyes.
Conclusions:
There are a very few reports of corneal ectasia after SMILE with normal preoperative topography.
