When it comes to vision correction there is no dearth of choices and one of the most popular choices is SMILE Clear LASIK procedure. This new approach of treatment is said to cause little or no harm to the patient, and has shorter recovery periods and many other advantages. But if you're considering this procedure, you might be wondering: what is the nature of the relationship between SMILE and corneal hysteresis? And why does it matter?
In this article, you are going to learn about SMILE Clear LASIK and corneal hysteresis and what to expect before and after the surgery.
Understanding Corneal Hysteresis
It is crucial to define the term, corneal hysteresis, before proceeding to how SMILE impacts it: Corneal hysteresis on the other hand is the capacity of the cornea to bear and to dissipate pressure. In layman’s terms, it is a measure of the ability of the cornea to deform in response to pressure changes – for instance during an eye examination or after a refractive surgery such as LASIK.
In the case of eyes, one of the factors is corneal hysteresis and the above table helps to illustrate it. Hysteresis value increases with the increase in the elasticity of the cornea, therefore, with higher hysteresis value, patients are expected to have better healing after refractive surgeries. On the other hand, reduced CH values can sometimes indicate a corneal tissue that is more susceptible to complications, including corneal ectasia.
Corneal hysteresis is measured with an instrument called Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA) that doctors employ. This data assists them in estimating the capacity of the cornea to withstand the operations’ stress, which determines the operations and treatment afterward.
The SMILE Clear LASIK Procedure
SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a new generation of laser vision correction treatments which eliminates near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism. While LASIK makes a flap in the cornea, SMILE only needs an opening to be made on the surface of the eye. The surgeon employs a femtosecond laser to form a lenticule, a lens shaped tissue in the cornea, and then excises it through the opening.
As a result, SMILE is less damaging to the corneal structure compared to the conventional LASIK operation. This causes far less disruption to the healing process and may lead to fewer complications such as dry eye syndrome or flap problems.
But how does SMILE alter corneal hysteresis? Let’s explore.
Impact of SMILE on Corneal Hysteresis
Several researches have revealed that corneal hysteresis is less affected by SMILE procedure than the traditional LASIK surgery. One of the reasons for this is the nature of SMILE that how it does work in the organization. SMILE, on the other hand, only takes out a small lenticule of tissue and does not involve the formation of a large flap in the cornea.
The use of this smaller incision means that there is less pressure applied to the corneal tissue, therefore preserving corneal integrity. Several studies have shown that the corneal hysteresis decreases slightly after SMILE but many patients do not even experience a reduced corneal stiffness.
Indeed, a few of the researches have indicated that the influence of SMILE on corneal hysteresis might be even smaller than the changes observed in the LASIK operations. This is important because it indicates that SMILE could be a safer option for people who may have some concerns regarding corneal biomechanics post the surgery.
Clinical Relevance of Corneal Hysteresis in SMILE
With this knowledge of how SMILE impacts corneal hysteresis, why should it be closely monitored? The essence is that corneal hysteresis is involved in the healing and further corneal health preservation processes. If the corneal hysteresis is low, then there are high chances that the client is likely to develop complications such as corneal ectasia that may result in distorted vision or even vision loss.
Refractive surgery patients must understand that the health of the cornea is crucial when aiming for the best outcomes. In this case, the comparatively low effect on corneal hysteresis that results from SMILE could be beneficial for a large number of people, especially those with thin or less robust corneas. Moreover, the small incision in SMILE might help prevent complications that arise from changes in corneal biomechanical stability and provide reassurance to both patients and surgeons.
Furthermore, as corneal hysteresis is an important determinant of how well the cornea is able to withstand pressure change, the ability to achieve a stable hysteresis value after SMILE indicates that the eyes will be in a better position to respond to pressure changes in the future, for instance during eye examinations or glaucoma testing.
Therefore, SMILE Clear LASIK has some advantages for those patients who seek the enhanced, less invasive method of vision correction compared to the classic LASIK. They are one of its striking features, including the fact that it has a lesser effect on corneal hysteresis, which is an essential parameter for the evaluation of corneal biomechanics. Due to less ablation of the corneal tissue, SMILE is not only faster in terms of healing but also may have fewer complications after surgery associated with corneal biomechanics.
Thus, the knowledge of the impact of SMILE on corneal hysteresis is crucial for those people who think about refractive surgery. Therefore, if you are in need of a surgical procedure that will allow you to correct your vision without causing much harm to your corneas then SMILE is for you.
If you are interested in the next step in vision correction, Book Your Appointment now with The Eye Foundation. Get your vision back on track with SMILE Clear LASIK and other procedures performed by our team of ophthalmologists.
