Association between the outcomes of ReLEx® SMILE and the degree of baseline myopia

Background. Myopia is the most common refractive disorder of the eye globally. One of the methods for surgical correction of myopia is ReLEx® SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction). The impact of baseline myopia severity on postoperative outcomes remains debated due to inconsistent literature findings. Purpose: To assess the association between the outcomes of ReLEx® SMILE and baseline myopia severity. Materials and methods. This prospective study included 78 patients (156 eyes) aged 18 to 35 years who underwent refractive correction using the ReLEx® SMILE procedure. Patients were stratified into three groups by myopia severity: Group I – low myopia (n = 31 eyes), Group II – moderate myopia (n = 87 eyes), Group III – high myopia (n = 38 eyes). The follow-up period was six months. Results. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) of 0.9–1.0 was achieved in 100% (Group I), 93% (Group II), and 82% (Group III) of eyes, with statistically significant differences between the groups (p < 0.017). No statistically significant differences in the efficacy index were observed (p = 0.78): efficacy was 100% in Groups I and II, and 97.1% in Group III. The safety index was 100% in Groups I and III and 98% in Group II, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.458). Refractive regression occurred in one case each in Groups I and III, while no cases of regression were observed in Group II. Conclusion. Refractive correction using the ReLEx® SMILE technique provides predictable and stable correction for all degrees of myopia and myopic astigmatism, with no significant differences in complication rates across severity groups.