COMPARATIVE FREQUENCY AND STRUCTUREOF COMPLICATIONS REFRACTION DISORDERS LASERCORRECTION OF WITH Femto LASIKand ReLEx SMILE TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

Introduction. Laser correction of refractive disorders is one of the most effective directions in the
treatment of myopia and astigmatism. At present, modern technologies of Femto LASIK and ReLEx
SMILE are actively used. Comparison of their safety is relevant for choosing a method of treatment in
clinical practice.
Purpose of the study. Comparative characteristics of complications in the laser correction of
refractive disorders by using the technologies Femto LASIK and ReLEx SMILE.
Materials and methods. A single-center, prospective, randomized trial. The study included the
results of 2370 interventions in patients with myopia from -2 to -12 D, astigmatism up to 5 dptr, incl.
1424 (60.1%) using the technology ReLEx SMILE and 946 (39.9%) - Femto LASIK. As complications,
cases of dry eye syndrome, keratitis, depletion of the optical zone of laser ablation, undercorrection and
hyper correction of refractive error, displacement of the corneal flap, ingrowth of the epithelium under
the flap and ectasia were recorded.
Statistical analysis. To compare the presented frequency indicators, χ2 criterion of Pearson was
used, or (with the number of observations less than 10) the two-sided Fisher test. The limiting level of
significance of the differences was p <0.05.
Results. The overall frequency of all the complications that were determined in the group of patients
treated with ReLEx SMILE was 5.5%, Femto LASIK 17.5% (difference 3.17 times, p <0.001). When
using Femto LASIK significantly more observed: dry eye syndrome (6.0% vs. 1.5%); hyper correction
(6.1% vs. 0.5%); ingrowing of the epithelium under the flap (0.07% vs. 1.1%). The most pronounced
differences in the incidence of complications between subgroups with different severity of myopia were
at a weak degree (4.5 times, p = 0.003). The lowest level of difference was determined in myopia with
astigmatism 2-5 dptr (2.6 times, p = 0.002).
The conclusion. The results of the analysis show a significantly lower incidence of complications of
almost all species using ReLEx SMILE technology for correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism in
comparison with Femto LASIK.