Refractive Corneal Lenticule Extraction With the CLEAR Femtosecond Laser Application

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new femtosecond laser application for refractive corneal lenticule extraction with suction control and computerized regulation of centration and alignment (Ziemer CLEAR).

This was a retrospective, consecutive, noncomparative case series study. Patients undergoing CLEAR for spherical equivalent (SE) between -3 and -10 D, evaluating SE, defocus equivalent, refractive astigmatism, visual acuity, and centration at 10 months were evaluated in the study.

Fifty-three eyes of 42 patients (mean age 40.4 ± 8.6 years) were included, with preoperative SE -5.99 ± 1.49 D and mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 0.05 ± 0.07 logMAR. With no suction losses, an intact lenticule was extracted in all eyes. In 6 eyes, peripheral adhesion was resolved by lenticulerrhexis, and in 1 eye, the incision was opened by a crescent blade. Moderate interface inflammation occurred in 3 eyes. At day 1, in the 42 eyes with uneventful surgery, the mean CDVA was 20/27, whereas in the 11 eyes with extra surgical manipulations, it was 20/36 ( P = 0.04). At 10 months, for the 53 eyes, the mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was 0.05 ± 0.09 logMAR; in 37 eyes (70%), it was 20/25 or better; and the mean CDVA was 0.04 ± 0.06 logMAR. Eight eyes (15%) lost 1 logMAR line. The mean SE was -0.13 ± 0.15 D. The mean defocus equivalent was 0.33 ± 0.32 D, with 46 eyes (87%) ≤0.50 D and 52 eyes (98%) ≤1 D. Refractive astigmatism was ≤0.50 D in 48 eyes (90%). The efficacy index was 1.00, and the safety index was 0.98. The mean decentration from the corneal vertex was 0.28 ± 0.07 mm.

The application yielded good predictability, efficacy, and safety. Slower visual recovery was observed after extra surgical manipulations.