Preoperative Suboptimal Correction and Early Visual Recovery After SMILE: How Full vs Under/Over-Correction Shapes Outcomes

Myopic subjects with preoperative suboptimal correction exhibit delayed visual recovery (notably UDVA and binocular function) compared to fully corrected peers after SMILE. These findings confirm SMILE's safety and efficacy even in eyes with suboptimal presenting visual acuity (PVA), while indicating the need for preoperative counseling to align patient expectations and targeted postoperative visual training to accelerate recovery-strategies that may enhance patient satisfaction.