Comparison of visual outcomes and optical aberrations after SMILE with intraoperative Kappa angle adjustments between small and large Kappa angles

Abstract

Abstract This study compares postoperative visual outcomes and optical aberrations after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) in patients with both small (S-Kappa: Kappa angle < 0.2 mm) and large Kappa (L-Kappa: Kappa angle ≥ 0.2 mm) angles. The evaluated aberrations include total higher-order aberrations (HOAs), horizontal coma (HC), vertical coma (VC), and spherical aberrations (SA), with procedures incorporating intraoperative Kappa angle adjustments. We retrospectively analyzed patient records undergoing SMILE utilizing linear mixed models (LMM). We assessed adjusted mean uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), Strehl ratio (SR), total HOAs, VC, and SA at pupils of 3 mm and 6 mm for both S-Kappa and L-Kappa. The disparities between S-Kappa and L-Kappa were evaluated by LMM's adjusted mean differences. The differences in optical metrics were also assessed in eyes grouped by myopia levels: low, moderate, and high. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on a threshold of Kappa angle at 0.3 mm. Eight-five patients (169 eyes) were analyzed, and no significant pre-operative difference was found in UDVA (p = .222) or spherical equivalent (p = .433). Post-operative differences were found in SR at 3 mm pupil size (−0.06, p = .022), total HOA 3 mm (0.15, p = .022), HC 3 mm (0.04, p = .042), VC 3 mm and 6 mm (−0.08, p = .041; 0.04, p = .041). The stratified analysis for high myopia revealed significant differences in UDVA (−0.04, p = .037), HC 3 mm (0.07, p = .03), VC 6 mm (−0.21, p = .001), and SA 3 mm and 6 mm (0.07, p = .037; −0.09, p = .037). Sensitivity analysis showed no significant difference using a 0.3 mm Kappa threshold. While some optical aberrations exhibited statistical differences between S-Kappa and L-Kappa, their clinical significance is limited. Thus, a large Kappa angle might not substantially influence post-operative optical aberrations when intraoperative Kappa angle adjustments are implemented.