Evaluation of corneal asymmetry and higher-order aberrations after small incision lenticule extraction for moderate...

To evaluate the relationships between the magnitudes of corneal asymmetry and induced ocular higher-order aberrations (HOAs) after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for moderate-to-high myopia.

Sixty-six eyes of 66 patients who underwent SMILE were divided into two groups: the high (SE ≥ -6.0 D, n = 27, Group H) and moderate (- 3.0 D ≤ SE < - 6.0 D, n = 39, Group M) myopia groups. Using Fourier harmonic analysis, the spherical component (SC), regular astigmatism (RA), asymmetry, and higher-order irregularity (HOI) were obtained from videokeratography data. Visual acuity, manifest refraction, and ocular HOAs were assessed at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The relationships between Fourier components and ocular HOAs were assessed.

In both groups, vertical coma, horizontal coma, spherical aberration, total higher-order aberrations (tHOAs), and asymmetry of the anterior corneal surface increased postoperatively (from 3 to 12 months), while SC and RA of the anterior corneal surface decreased (all P < 0.05). More vertical coma and asymmetry of the anterior corneal surface were induced in Group H than in Group M at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (all P < 0.05). The association between preoperative asymmetry of the anterior corneal surface and preoperative spherical aberration was significant in both groups (R² = 0.138, P = 0.02; R² = 0.172, P = 0.032, respectively). The asymmetry of the anterior corneal surface was correlated with vertical coma, spherical aberration, and tHOAs at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively in both groups (all R² > 0.2, all P < 0.05).

The visual quality after SMILE was associated with the asymmetry of the anterior corneal surface for moderate and high myopia.