Ye's Swing Technique for Small-incision Lenticule Extraction Surgery

We propose a novel approach for small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery, termed the Ye's Swing Technique. The separation and removal of the lenticule are among the most challenging steps of SMILE surgery. An improper technique can result in difficulties during lenticule extraction, lenticule rupture, and the presence of residual fragments. This technique was developed to address intraoperative challenges by preserving an unseparated peripheral edge on the posterior surface of the lenticule-a feature absent in conventional methods. In this study, 490 eyes with myopia or myopic astigmatism and lenticule thicknesses ranging from 52-148 µm were included, of which 38.6% were classified as thin lenticules. The results demonstrated that the stromal lenticule could be successfully dissected and completely removed in all participants without any incidence of incision margin tearing. The safety index was 1.06 ± 0.12, and the efficacy index was 1.11 ± 0.13 at 1 week postoperatively. These findings indicate that the modified technique is safe and effective, even with thinner lenticules.