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Flapless all-laser procedure outperforms femto-LASIK for high myopia
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HYDERABAD, India — A flapless procedure proved more effective than femto-LASIK in the treatment of high myopia and produced fewer dry eye complaints in a series of patients, according to a presenter here.
ReLEx small-incision lenticule extraction uses the VisuMax femtosecond laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec) to carve out a lenticule within the cornea in order to correct refractive errors. No excimer ablation is used, and the lenticule is separated and removed through a small incision.
“Less energy is delivered into the cornea, leading to less inflammation and higher stability of results,” Rupal Shah, MD, said at the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and All India Ophthalmological Society.
Shah has been a pioneer of ReLEx. In a study, 24 patients had one eye randomly assigned to ReLEx and the other eye to LASIK with VisuMax for flap performance and the MEL 80 excimer laser (Zeiss) for ablation. Myopia was between –8 D and –10 D in all eyes.
Both groups did well, but stability of outcomes between 1 week and 9 months was greater with the ReLEx procedure. In terms of best corrected visual acuity, an almost five-letter gain was reported, compared to two letters in the LASIK group.
“Very little induction of aberration was observed because the lenticule is cut out in a prolate shape, avoiding the peripheral losses of the excimer laser,” Shah said.
Disclosure: Shah is a consultant for Carl Zeiss Meditec.