Difficulties and complications faced while performing SMILE: personal experience

Session Details

Session Title: SMILE for Myopia II

Session Date/Time: Wednesday 17/09/2014 | 08:00-09:30

Paper Time: 08:30

Venue: Capital Hall B

First Author: : A.Bansal INDIA

Co Author(s): :    S. Maaz              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To report the difficulties faced and complications encountered during Small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for myopia and compound myopic astigmatism and make recommendations on how to avoid the same.

Setting:

Cornea, cataract and Refractive surgery service, Centre for sight, Hyderabad, India.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of 30 consecutive eyes of SMILE which had undergone SMILE procedure using Visumax femtosecond laser (Zeiss, Germany), having a mean pre op spherical equivalent of -4.65 D +/- 0.85 D and a mean age of 25.9 +/-3.2 years.

Results:

Twenty four (80%) achieved an unaided visual acuity of 20/20 or better and 28 (93 %) better than 20/30 by 7th post operative day. Difficulties faced while doing the procedure included loss of suction, difficulties in centration, failure to dissect the anterior plane. We will discuss the ways and means to avoid the same. Complications faced included Corneal flap tear (3.3%), Inability to create the anterior cleavage or dissection (3.3%), interface fluid retention (3.3%), Epithelial ingrowth (3.3%), and induced astigmatism (3.3%), loss of suction midway the procedure with resultant abortion or modification of the procedure (13.2%)

Conclusions:

Some difficulties are faced by a novice Smile surgeon in performing the SMILE procedure, but with suitable precautions and modifications, one can avoid the same. Loss of suction and resultant complications are the most common complications encountered with SMILE.

Financial Interest:

NONE