Dr.Tushar Grover, Dr.Rohit Shetty
One of the most debated topics in the field of refractive surgeries today, is, whether Small Incision Lenticule Extraction(SMILE) is better, or Femtosecond-Laser In Situ Keratomileusis(FS – LASIK). In this video, we play devil’s advocate and question various aspects of both these procedures, like visual outcomes, corneal biomechanics, corneal nerve regeneration and postoperative dry eye. We also highlight the unknown aspects, which include corneal deformation using a novel Inverse – Finite Element Model (I-FEM). The microstructural differences are elaborated using the Bowman’s Roughness Index(BRI) on high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT). Differences in corneal wound healing are demonstrated, by evaluating the inflammatory and wound healing markers in tears and cadaveric cornea to assess the stability of each procedure at a molecular level. Taking a holistic approach,we attempt to shed more light on this topic and provide the final answer on which surgery is truly better.
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