Analysis of flap morphology and visual outcomes using a new femtosecond-laser platform: An observational study

To evaluate the accuracy in terms of thickness of LASIK flaps created using the ELITA^TM femtosecond laser (Johnson and Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc) compared to the intended thickness.

This retrospective, single-center study was conducted at the Institut Noemie de Rothschild (Paris, France) in patients eligible for bilateral LASIK surgery. The ELITA^TM femtosecond laser was used to create all flaps, with an intended thickness of 110μm or 120μm. Flap thickness was measured manually by using images from two Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) devices: Anterion (Heidelberg Engineering), which uses a "Swept Source" technology, and Avanti (Optovue), which uses "Spectral Domain" technology. For each patient, two flap thickness measurements were obtained from the horizontal Anterion B-scan. Additionally, two Avanti scans, one horizontal and one vertical, were acquired per patient, with two flap thickness measurements recorded from each scan. Postoperative refractive and visual outcomes were also evaluated.

30 eyes of 15 patients were included. 66.6% were female. The mean age of the patients was 31.4 years (range: 25 to 45 years). 48 Anterion measurements were obtained: mean flap thickness was 124.9±12.3μm (range 101 to 157μm). 120 Avanti measurements were obtained: mean flap thickness was 115.1±7.7μm (range 92 to 132μm). The mean deviations between the achieved and attempted flap thickness were 8.38±9μm by Anterion measurements and 6.67μm±4.72μm by Avanti measurements. The mean postoperative spherical equivalent was 0.05±0.43 diopters. The mean uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 0.99 (LogMar). No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred.

The ELITA femtosecond laser provides accurate and consistent LASIK flap thickness with excellent visual outcomes and no reported complications.