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Updated: Jan 10, 2026
Full-Field Optical Coherence Microscopy for Histology-Like Analysis of Stromal Features in Corneal Grafts
Published on: October 21, 2022
Biomechanical changes and associated factors of preserved SMILE-derived corneal stromal lenticules
Xiaosong Han1,2,3,4, Bingqing Sun1,2,3,4, Xiaoyu Zhang1,2,3,4
1Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Objectives:
To investigate the biomechanical changes and associated factors of SMILE-derived lenticules under various preservation conditions.
Methods:
A total of 520 corneal stromal lenticules of 260 patients (male: female 98:162, age 28.54 ± 5.98 years, mean spherical error -4.47 ± 1.63 D) were derived during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgeries, and were stored in glycerol, silicone oil, Optisol and cryopreservation for 1 day, 1 week or 1 month. Spherical error, cylindrical error as well as other main parameters were evaluated. A nanoindenter system was used to measure the effective Young's modulus of each lenticule. Changes in effective Young's modulus were evaluated in each group among all time points.
Results:
There was no statistical significance in effective Young's moduli of lenticules in the glycerol group among all preservation times, while the lowest effective Young's modulus appeared when preserved for 1 month, 1 week, and 1 day in the silicone oil, Optisol, and cryopreservation group. Among all factors observed, the spherical error of SMILE-derived lenticules was a positive influencing factor on their biomechanics (P = 0.04*).
Conclusions:
It is feasible to maintain biomechanical stability of SMILE-derived lenticules in glycerol in the short term. Thickness is a positive influencing factor on the biomechanics of SMILE-derived lenticules.
