title: Small-incision lenticule extraction.
abstract: This review looks at the benefits, limitations, complications, and future applications of the small-incision lenticule extraction procedure. Using the search terms small incision lenticule extraction and femtosecond lenticule extraction, we obtained data from 56 articles (omitting German and Chinese articles) from the PubMed database. Small-incision lenticule extraction has shown efficacy, predictability, and safety that are proportionate to those of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), with the additional benefit that it eliminates flap creation and the attendant risks. The potential advantages of the procedure related to improved biomechanical stability, postoperative inflammation, and dry-eye symptoms have not been fully established. Small-incision lenticule extraction-treated eyes have shown a reduced degree of postoperative corneal denervation and higher-order aberrations and an accelerated rate of corneal nerve convalescence relative to LASIK. Future possibilities related to long-term cryogenic storage of extracted lenticules with eventual reimplantation or donation have been investigated with encouraging preliminary results.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Drs. Reinstein and Shah are consultants to Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
authors: From the Francis I. Proctor Foundation (Moshirfar), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (McCaughey), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the John A. Moran Eye Center (Fenzl), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; the London Vision Clinic (Reinstein), London, United Kingdom; the New Vision Laser Centers (Shah), Vadodara, India; the Ophthalmology Department (Santiago-Caban), University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Electronic address: majid.moshirfar@ucsf.edu.
authors: Majid
authors: M
authors: Moshirfar
authors: From the Francis I. Proctor Foundation (Moshirfar), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (McCaughey), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the John A. Moran Eye Center (Fenzl), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; the London Vision Clinic (Reinstein), London, United Kingdom; the New Vision Laser Centers (Shah), Vadodara, India; the Ophthalmology Department (Santiago-Caban), University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Michael V
authors: MV
authors: McCaughey
authors: From the Francis I. Proctor Foundation (Moshirfar), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (McCaughey), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the John A. Moran Eye Center (Fenzl), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; the London Vision Clinic (Reinstein), London, United Kingdom; the New Vision Laser Centers (Shah), Vadodara, India; the Ophthalmology Department (Santiago-Caban), University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Dan Z
authors: DZ
authors: Reinstein
authors: From the Francis I. Proctor Foundation (Moshirfar), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (McCaughey), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the John A. Moran Eye Center (Fenzl), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; the London Vision Clinic (Reinstein), London, United Kingdom; the New Vision Laser Centers (Shah), Vadodara, India; the Ophthalmology Department (Santiago-Caban), University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Rupal
authors: R
authors: Shah
authors: From the Francis I. Proctor Foundation (Moshirfar), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (McCaughey), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the John A. Moran Eye Center (Fenzl), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; the London Vision Clinic (Reinstein), London, United Kingdom; the New Vision Laser Centers (Shah), Vadodara, India; the Ophthalmology Department (Santiago-Caban), University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Santiago-Caban
authors: From the Francis I. Proctor Foundation (Moshirfar), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine (McCaughey), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the John A. Moran Eye Center (Fenzl), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; the London Vision Clinic (Reinstein), London, United Kingdom; the New Vision Laser Centers (Shah), Vadodara, India; the Ophthalmology Department (Santiago-Caban), University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine Ophthalmology Department, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors: Carlton R
authors: CR
authors: Fenzl
mesh_terms: D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000601:surgery*; D048988:Corneal Surgery, Laser / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods