Abstract:

Objective To study the long-term influence on the corneal endothelial cells after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). Design Prospective case series. Participants 92 eyes of 46 patients underwent SMILE in Tongren Eye Center. Methods Preoperatively, and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 6 month, 1 year after the operation, the mean central cell density (CD), coefficient of variation (CV), and hexagonality (6A) of the corneal endothelial cells were measured by Konan FA-3709P noncontact specular microscope, and the results （pre and after operation）were statistically compared. At the same time, the correlation between the cutting depth and the corneal endothelial cell indexes at 1 year after the operation was analyzed. Main Outcome Measures CD, CV, 6A. Results Compared with preoperation, the mean CD at 1 day, 1 week after surgery were significantly decreased (P=0.000, 0.040). At 1 month, 6 month, 1 year postoperation, the mean CD had no significant difference compared with preoperation (all P＞0.05); the CV (all P＞0.05) and 6A  (all P＞0.05) of the corneal endothelial cells had no significantly decreased at all the postoperative timepoint. There is no correlation between the cutting depth and corneal endothelial cells related indexes (CD, CV and 6A of the corneal endothelial cells) (all P＞0.05). Conclusion  There is no significant influence on the corneal endothelial cells one year after SMILE.

Key words: small incision lenticule extraction; , corneal endothelium cell, specular microscope