EASE (Epithelial All-femtosecond Surface Excision) is a surface laser vision correction method where the entire procedure is performed by the SCHWIND ATOS femtosecond laser – without a corneal flap, without an excimer laser, and without UV light. The laser cuts a thin tissue lens (lenticule) through the intact epithelium, which the surgeon removes in one piece; the epithelium regrows within a few days. At SwissLaser in Warsaw and Krakow, the procedure is personally performed by Dr. med. Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS. Price: PLN 10,000 for both eyes; for patients included in our prospective clinical study, PLN 6,000.
EASE is a global novelty: the first procedures were performed in February 2025, and the manufacturer officially presented the method at the ESCRS congress in London in September 2026. SwissLaser (Warsaw, Krakow), along with its sister clinics EyeLaser in Vienna and Zurich, is among the first centers in the world to perform EASE. The method has a CE mark. On this page, we honestly describe what is already known, what is not yet known, and for whom this method makes sense.
Check if you qualify for the study
EASE – Key Facts at a Glance
- Name: EASE, or Epithelial All-femtosecond Surface Excision; generic name: transepithelial lenticule removal (TLR).
- Laser: exclusively SCHWIND ATOS femtosecond laser (near infrared). No excimer laser, no UV light, no tissue ablation.
- Principle: the laser cuts a lenticule (lens-shaped piece of tissue) under the intact epithelium; the surgeon removes the epithelium and lenticule in one piece. No flap or pocket is created in the cornea.
- Energy: approximately 50 percent of the energy of a lenticule extraction procedure (SmartSight) according to the manufacturer; theoretically calculated to be many times less than with Trans-PRK.
- For whom: myopia, also with astigmatism, in cases of thin cornea, dry eye, or when intrastromal methods are not suitable.
- Recovery: similar to a surface method – first few days with a bandage contact lens, vision improves over days and weeks.
- Registry results (83 eyes, 3 months): 77 percent of eyes see 20/20 without glasses, 96 percent at least 20/25, no eye lost lines of best corrected visual acuity.
- Status: CE marked method; world premiere at ESCRS 2026, SwissLaser and EyeLaser among the first centers worldwide performing EASE.
- Where and for how much: SwissLaser Warsaw and Krakow, PLN 10,000 for both eyes; PLN 6,000 in a prospective clinical study, voluntary participation.
What is EASE – in 30 seconds
The cornea is the transparent, convex front part of the eye. Its outermost layer – the epithelium – is about 50 micrometers thick and regrows within a few days after any scratch. Beneath the epithelium lies the proper corneal tissue, called the stroma.
Classic surface methods (PRK, Trans-PRK) remove the epithelium and reshape the stroma with an excimer laser, which ablates tissue layer by layer with ultraviolet light. EASE does it differently: a femtosecond laser sends infrared pulses through the intact epithelium and creates microscopic bubbles in the tissue, separating it along a planned surface. This creates a lenticule – a thin, lens-shaped piece of tissue whose shape corresponds to your refractive error.
The surgeon removes the lenticule together with the epithelium above it in one piece – without a scalpel, without ablation. The corneal surface now has a new shape, and the epithelium regrows over it within a few days. There is no flap that could shift, and no pocket in the cornea, because the entire procedure happens on its surface.
How the EASE procedure is performed – step by step
Before the procedure
- Qualification examination (PLN 400, approximately 90 minutes): corneal tomography, epithelial thickness map, pachymetry, refraction, intraocular pressure, retinal OCT, tear film, and fundus examination after pupil dilation.
- Discontinue contact lenses before the examination: soft lenses for 7 days, hard lenses for 3 weeks.
- We discuss alternatives (Trans-PRK, SmartSight Nova, FemtoLASIK, ICL) and whether you meet the clinical study criteria.
On the day of the procedure
- Anesthetic drops and vasoconstrictor drops; no injections or general anesthesia.
- Docking: a contact glass of the laser is placed on the eye, gently stabilizing the cornea. You feel pressure, not pain. The laser tracks the eye, centers the procedure, and compensates for globe rotation (cyclotorsion compensation) on the intact epithelium.
- The femtosecond laser performs three cuts: the posterior surface of the lenticule (which corrects the refractive error), the anterior surface at a depth of approximately 75 micrometers from the glass (epithelium, Bowman’s layer, and several micrometers of stroma), and an oblique peripheral cut around, connecting both surfaces to the eye’s surface.
- The surgeon lifts the epithelium with the lenticule in one piece. There is no dissection of a pocket or tunnel; stroma separation with an instrument is performed only when necessary.
- A soft bandage contact lens is placed on the eye. After the procedure on one eye, the second eye is operated on immediately, in the same session.
What to expect after the procedure – day by day
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | The eye waters, stings, and is sensitive to light – just like after any surface method. Vision is blurred. In the registry, 57 percent of eyes already saw 20/40 or better, but this is a day for rest with dark glasses, not for work. |
| Days 2–4 | The epithelium closes the wound. Discomfort subsides day by day; you use drops according to schedule. Sick leave is usually issued for 5–7 days. |
| Around one week | Check-up, removal of the bandage contact lens when the epithelium is closed. In the registry, 82 percent of eyes saw 20/40 or better. Office work is usually possible, with breaks for moisturizing drops. |
| Month 1 | Acuity stabilizes; 99 percent of eyes in the registry saw 20/40 or better. Steroid drops are gradually discontinued over 4–6 weeks, as indicated. |
| Months 3–12 | Final evaluation and further check-ups. The epithelium changes thickness by only 1–2 micrometers. In the clinical study, check-ups also include an epithelial map and aberration measurement. |
What results does EASE provide – registry data
The registry from Svjetlost Clinic in Zagreb includes 119 eyes of 62 patients operated on by one surgeon from April 2025 to March 2026. Laser settings were changed three times; the current protocol (approximately 450 mJ/cm², 75 nJ) has been in effect since September 2025. The manuscript is under review, so these are congress data, not yet a publication.
| Period | Eyes with 20/40 acuity or better | Number of eyes |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 56.8% | 46 of 81 |
| Week 1 | 81.9% | 68 of 83 |
| Month 1 | 98.7% | 76 of 77 |
| Month 3 | 98.8% | 82 of 83 |
After 3 months (83 eyes with astigmatism up to 1 D): 77 percent of eyes saw 20/20 or better without glasses, 96 percent at least 20/25, 88 percent had residual refractive error within ±0.50 D. None of the 77 eyes with full measurement lost lines of best corrected visual acuity. One eye saw worse than 20/40, three eyes underwent enhancement before the third month. In the subgroup of 32 eyes operated with the current protocol, there was no enhancement.
Astigmatism: sphere hits the target (slope 0.97), but cylinder was overcorrected by an average of one-fifth in the registry because no nomogram was used. Therefore, for astigmatism above 1 D, we qualify for EASE cautiously and more often propose SmartSight Nova or Trans-PRK Wavefront.
EASE or Trans-PRK – two surface methods
EASE differs from Trans-PRK in that it does not ablate tissue, but cuts it: the femtosecond laser creates a lenticule that is removed in its entirety, while in Trans-PRK, the excimer laser removes tissue with UV light pulse by pulse. Both methods are surface-based, both are flapless, and both are suitable for thin corneas. They differ in physics, the amount of energy delivered to the tissue, and the length of clinical experience.
| Feature | EASE | Trans-PRK smart surFace |
|---|---|---|
| Laser | SCHWIND ATOS femtosecond (infrared) | SCHWIND AMARIS excimer (ultraviolet) |
| How tissue is removed | lenticule cut and removed in one piece | ablated layer by layer |
| Epithelium | removed with the lenticule, through intact epithelium | ablated by laser in the first step |
| UV light | no | yes |
| Energy to tissue | many times less (theoretical calculations); number of pulses does not increase with refractive error | increases with each diopter |
| Contact with eye | laser docking glass | non-contact |
| Laser treatment time | several tens of seconds per eye | several tens of seconds per eye |
| Mitomycin C | in the registry only for refractive error above 5 D; in the STELLAR study tested without | used as indicated for higher refractive errors |
| Epithelial healing | several days, bandage contact lens | approximately 3 days, bandage contact lens |
| Risk of haze | 2 of 83 eyes, grade 1, with astigmatism up to 1 D | low, well-described in literature |
| Thin cornea, dry eye | yes | yes |
| Hyperopia | currently no | yes |
| Spherical aberration | lenticule profile as in lenticule extraction; superiority is a hypothesis | ablation profile, optionally Wavefront |
| Long-term data | since 2025; registry of 119 eyes; STELLAR study ongoing | over 10 years |
| Price | PLN 10,000 for both eyes; PLN 6,000 in a clinical study | PLN 10,000 for both eyes |
We have been performing Trans-PRK for years, and it remains our proven surface method, also for hyperopia, which EASE currently does not correct. EASE is a parallel method, not a substitute: we propose it where a lower energy dose and a lenticular profile may be significant, and where the patient consciously chooses a new method with clinical study monitoring. Trans-PRK details: Trans-PRK smart surFace.
Why vision quality can be better – spherical aberration
Spherical aberration is an imperfection where light rays passing through the edge of the cornea focus at a different point than rays from the center. During the day, you hardly notice it because the pupil is narrow. At night, with a wide pupil, it manifests as halos around lights and poorer contrast. Every myopia correction flattens the center of the cornea and slightly increases this aberration; the question is by how much.
The shape of the lenticule in EASE is the same shape that the ATOS laser cuts inside the cornea in the SmartSight procedure (lenticule extraction). In studies comparing lenticule extraction with FemtoLASIK, the lenticule induced less spherical aberration increase and better preserved the natural asphericity of the cornea. Comparisons of lenticule with classic PRK yield mixed results: some studies show a difference, others do not find one.
For EASE itself, such data are not yet available because the method is too new. The Zagreb registry described one eye with a refractive error of −7.3 D, in which corneal spherical aberration changed by 0.09 micrometers after 13 months, which is at the limit of measurement. This is a single case, not statistics. Therefore, we write cautiously: studies indicate that a lenticular profile may potentially provide better night vision quality than a standard ablation profile, but for EASE, this still needs to be demonstrated. This is precisely why we measure aberrations in our clinical study.
EASE, Trans-PRK, SmartSight Nova or FemtoLASIK – which method for whom
| Situation | EASE | Trans-PRK | SmartSight Nova | FemtoLASIK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thin cornea | yes | yes | depends on tissue reserve | rather no |
| dry eye or tendency to dryness | yes | yes | yes (few nerves cut) | rather no |
| contact sports, uniformed services | yes | yes | yes | no (flap) |
| hyperopia | no | yes | no | yes |
| astigmatism above 1 D | cautiously | yes, Wavefront variant | yes | yes |
| fastest vision recovery | days–weeks | days–weeks | 1–2 days | 1–2 days |
| longest clinical experience | since 2025 | over 10 years | since 2020 | over 15 years |
EASE, SmartSight Nova, and FemtoLASIK are performed on the same SCHWIND ATOS femtosecond laser, Trans-PRK on the AMARIS excimer laser. The difference lies in where the procedure takes place in the cornea: EASE and Trans-PRK on the surface, SmartSight Nova inside the cornea through a small incision, FemtoLASIK under a flap. SMILE is the trade name for lenticule extraction on another manufacturer’s laser – equivalent to SmartSight, not EASE (comparison of SmartSight Nova and SMILE Pro). Full comparison: which laser vision correction method.
Who is EASE for
- myopia, also with astigmatism up to approximately 1 D (higher astigmatism is assessed individually); in the registry, refractive errors from approximately -2 to -8 D were operated, single eyes higher
- age 18 or older and stable refractive error for at least 12 months
- healthy and regular cornea in tomography, with a stromal reserve of at least 275 micrometers after the procedure
- thin cornea, where a FemtoLASIK flap or SmartSight pocket would remove too much tissue
- dry eye syndrome or tendency to dryness – a surface procedure does not cut nerves deep in the cornea
- work or sport where a corneal flap would be a risk: contact sports, uniformed services, physical labor
When EASE is not indicated
Hyperopia
EASE currently corrects myopia and astigmatism. For hyperopia, we propose Trans-PRK or FemtoLASIK, and after age 45, PresbyMAX.
High astigmatism
In the registry, eyes with astigmatism above 1 D had more haze (7 of 36) than eyes with low astigmatism (2 of 83), and the cylinder required nomogram correction. We do not refuse outright, but discuss alternatives: SmartSight Nova and Trans-PRK Wavefront.
Keratoconus and irregular cornea
As with any laser method. We then treat the disease: keratoconus, crosslinking, CAIRS rings.
Cornea too thin even for a surface method
If less than 275 micrometers of stroma would remain after the procedure, we propose an ICL phakic lens, which does not remove tissue.
Refractive error outside range, unstable refractive error, pregnancy, active inflammation
The same list applies as for all laser methods: contraindications for laser vision correction.
Expectation of immediate sharp vision
EASE is a surface method. Those who need sharp vision the next day will choose SmartSight Nova or FemtoLASIK, if the cornea allows.
What examinations determine qualification
Qualification is determined by measurements: corneal tomography (shape of anterior and posterior surface, exclusion of keratoconus), pachymetry (corneal thickness at each point), epithelial thickness map in OCT, refraction with an accuracy of 0.25 D, pupil width in darkness, tear film, and fundus examination. We discuss the result and alternatives immediately during the visit. Details: qualification for laser vision correction; you can initially take an online qualification test.
Safety and Risk – Honestly
EASE is not safer or less safe than other methods simply because it is new. It shares all the characteristics of a surface procedure with Trans-PRK: open epithelium for several days, initial pain, and slower vision recovery. The hypothesis that a lower energy dose means less inflammation and less haze is biologically plausible but has not yet been proven – the registry did not have a control group.
| Possible effect | How often | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Pain, stinging, photophobia in the first few days | in most patients, as after any surface method | bandage contact lens, drops, painkillers, check-up after one week |
| Slower vision recovery than after SmartSight or FemtoLASIK | always – this is a characteristic of surface methods | we inform before the procedure; sick leave 5–7 days |
| Corneal haze | registry: 2 of 83 eyes grade 1 with low astigmatism; 7 of 36 with higher astigmatism, including one patient with grade 3 treated with PTK laser | cautious qualification for higher astigmatism, steroid drops for 4–6 weeks, UV protection, check-ups |
| Dry eye after procedure | transiently common, usually milder than after flap methods | moisturizing drops, dry eye treatment before the procedure |
| Residual refractive error, undercorrection or overcorrection | registry: 88 percent of eyes within ±0.50 D; 3 of 83 eyes underwent enhancement | laser enhancement after stabilization, under warranty for up to 5 years |
| Astigmatism overcorrection | registry: cylinder on average one-fifth too strong, without nomogram | EASE qualification mainly for astigmatism up to 1 D |
| Infection, delayed epithelial healing | rare; risk of any surface method | antibiotic drops, check-ups, hygiene rules after procedure |
| Unknown long-term effects | no data beyond 15 months | this is precisely why we conduct a prospective clinical study with follow-up for 12 months |
What “new method” means. The longest follow-up in the registry is 15 months. We do not know how the cornea after EASE will behave after 5 or 10 years, although experience with PRK and lenticule extraction gives no cause for concern. Those who choose EASE choose a method with a shorter track record and should be aware of this. This is precisely why we offer it as part of a clinical study with additional check-ups, and not as routine.
How much does EASE cost
EASE costs PLN 10,000 for both eyes – the same as Trans-PRK smart surFace. The procedure for one eye is priced during the qualification examination. Patients included in the prospective clinical study pay PLN 6,000 for both eyes; the lower price is due to the fact that data from the procedure and check-ups contribute to the study, and the patient commits to additional visits.
| Variant | Price for both eyes | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| EASE – standard price | PLN 10,000 | procedure for both eyes, anesthetic drops, bandage contact lenses, check-ups included, warranty for up to 5 years |
| EASE – in clinical study | PLN 6,000 | as above, plus extended check-ups for 12 months with epithelial map and aberration measurement |
| Qualification examination | PLN 400 | approximately 90 minutes, corneal tomography, epithelial map, full diagnostics |
The price includes the procedure for both eyes in one visit, anesthetic drops, bandage contact lenses, the work of the surgeon and team, and postoperative check-ups as a package, similar to Trans-PRK. The qualification examination costs PLN 400. Prices are the same in Warsaw and Krakow.
Installments: for example, PLN 226.66 per month for PLN 10,000 with 60 installments and no down payment — calculation from Santander Consumer Bank calculator as of 2026-09-25. APRC, total cost, and conditions are provided by the calculator under the “Calculate installment” button in the price list; we fill out the application together at the clinic.
EASE Clinical Study – How to Participate
EASE has a registry of 119 eyes behind it and is awaiting the results of the multicenter STELLAR study, conducted by the manufacturer in Zagreb, Seoul, and Kathmandu. SwissLaser conducts its own prospective clinical study: every patient operated with the EASE method in Warsaw or Krakow is examined according to a single, pre-established protocol, and the results – visual acuity, residual refractive error, epithelial thickness, aberrations, haze, comfort – are collected over 12 months.
What participation means. The procedure looks the same as outside the study; the difference is more measurements and more visits: day 1, week 1, month 1, 3, 6, and 12. At each visit, we perform the same examinations as before the procedure, including an epithelial map in OCT and aberration measurement. Your data is pseudonymized – the study database contains only a number, not a name. Before inclusion, you sign an informed consent form, which describes all of this, and you can withdraw from the study at any time, without giving a reason and without affecting further care.
Who qualifies. Individuals meeting the EASE criteria described above: myopia with astigmatism up to approximately 1 D, stable refractive error for one year, age 18 or older, healthy cornea. A condition is the ability to attend all check-ups at the clinic where the procedure took place – in Warsaw or Krakow. Participation is voluntary; a patient who does not wish to participate can have EASE at the standard price.
What you gain. A price of PLN 6,000 for both eyes, extended diagnostics for one year, and the certainty that your eyes are monitored more thoroughly than in routine care. What you give: time for six visits and consent to use anonymized results in scientific publications.
How to start. Schedule a qualification examination in Warsaw or Krakow and state that you are interested in EASE in the clinical study. During the visit, we check the criteria, discuss the protocol, and answer questions; you can make a decision at home.
Dr. Derhartunian on EASE
I have been operating with the SCHWIND ATOS laser since 2020, and during this time, I have learned to appreciate one thing: a lenticule that comes out in one piece, instead of tissue that has to be ablated. EASE transfers this principle to the corneal surface, where we have been operating on patients with thin corneas for forty years. I do not promise that it is a better method than Trans-PRK – no one has proven that yet. I promise that with us, it will be performed according to a single protocol, with additional measurements, and that we will tell patients what these measurements indicate.
Dr. med. Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS – refractive and cataract surgeon, SwissLaser Warsaw and Krakow
Most Frequent Questions about EASE
Does the EASE procedure hurt?
Not during the procedure – the eye is anesthetized with drops, and you feel pressure during docking. Pain, stinging, and photophobia appear after the procedure and last 2–4 days, until the epithelium closes; they are alleviated by a bandage contact lens, drops, and painkillers. This is a characteristic of any surface method, including Trans-PRK.
How long is the recovery after EASE?
The epithelium heals within a few days, and vision improves over weeks. In the registry, after one week, 82 percent of eyes saw 20/40 or better, after one month, 99 percent. Sick leave is usually issued for 5–7 days; most patients return to office work after one week.
How does EASE differ from Trans-PRK?
By the laser and the method of tissue removal. In Trans-PRK, an excimer laser ablates the epithelium and stroma with UV light; in EASE, a femtosecond laser cuts a lenticule through the intact epithelium, which the surgeon removes in one piece. Both methods are surface-based and flapless; EASE delivers significantly less energy to the tissue, while Trans-PRK has years of data behind it.
Is EASE safe?
Available data are good but short-term. In the registry of 83 eyes, none lost lines of best corrected visual acuity after 3 months, and grade 1 haze occurred in 2 eyes. The longest follow-up is 15 months, so long-term effects are not yet known. Therefore, we offer EASE as part of a prospective clinical study with follow-ups for 12 months.
How much does EASE cost in Warsaw and Krakow?
PLN 10,000 for both eyes at the standard price and PLN 6,000 for both eyes for patients included in the SwissLaser prospective clinical study – the same in Warsaw and Krakow. The qualification examination costs PLN 400. Installments are possible; an example calculation can be found in the pricing section.
Can I have EASE with a thin cornea?
Often yes – a thin cornea is one of the main indications. EASE does not create a flap or pocket, and the lenticule only removes the tissue needed to correct the refractive error. The condition is a stromal reserve of at least 275 micrometers after the procedure and a regular corneal shape in tomography. If there is too little tissue even for EASE, we propose an ICL phakic lens.
What is a lenticule?
A lenticule is a thin, lens-shaped piece of corneal tissue that the femtosecond laser cuts under the intact epithelium; its shape corresponds to the refractive error being corrected. In EASE, the surgeon removes the lenticule together with the epithelium in one piece. The same shape is cut by the ATOS laser inside the cornea in the SmartSight procedure, where it is called a lenticule.
Does EASE correct astigmatism?
Yes, the ATOS laser compensates for eye rotation and cuts a lenticule with cylinder correction. However, in the registry, the cylinder was overcorrected by an average of one-fifth because no nomogram was used, and eyes with astigmatism above 1 D had more haze. Therefore, we mainly propose EASE for astigmatism up to approximately 1 D; for higher astigmatism, SmartSight Nova or Trans-PRK Wavefront are more often recommended.
Does EASE correct hyperopia?
Currently no – indications include myopia and myopic astigmatism. For hyperopia, we propose Trans-PRK or FemtoLASIK, and after age 45, PresbyMAX.
How does EASE differ from SmartSight and SMILE?
By the location of the procedure. SmartSight (and its equivalent SMILE on another manufacturer’s laser) cuts a lenticule inside the cornea and removes it through a small incision, so the epithelium remains intact, and vision returns in 1–2 days. EASE cuts the lenticule just under the epithelium and removes it along with the epithelium, so it heals like a surface method but does not create a pocket in the cornea and uses about half the energy.
How much sick leave will I get after EASE?
Usually 5–7 days, as after Trans-PRK. For work in dusty environments, outdoors, or in uniformed services, we determine this individually at the check-up after one week.
When does vision acuity return after EASE?
Gradually over days and weeks. In the registry, 57 percent of eyes saw 20/40 or better on the first day, 82 percent after one week, and 99 percent after one month; after 3 months, 77 percent of eyes saw 20/20 without glasses. Full stabilization takes up to 3 months.
Can corneal haze occur after EASE?
It can, as with any surface method, but it was rare in the registry: 2 of 83 eyes with low astigmatism had grade 1 haze, which did not require treatment. For astigmatism above 1 D, haze was more frequent (7 of 36 eyes). We prevent it with steroid drops for 4–6 weeks and protection from the sun.
Is EASE an approved method?
Yes. EASE has a CE mark and is performed on the SCHWIND ATOS laser, a medical device with CE certification. The manufacturer also conducts a post-market clinical follow-up study in accordance with the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR 2017/745). At SwissLaser, EASE has been available since September 2026, also as part of a prospective clinical study with a lower price.
What does participation in the EASE clinical study mean?
The same procedure, more check-ups, and a lower price. The patient attends six visits to their clinic in Warsaw or Krakow within a year, during which we repeat pre-procedure measurements, including epithelial mapping and aberrations. Data is pseudonymized, participation is voluntary, and withdrawal is possible at any time without affecting further treatment. The study price is PLN 6,000 for both eyes.
Can the refractive error return after EASE?
The procedure is performed only for stable refractive error for at least 12 months, so the effect is permanent; presbyopia naturally occurs after years, which is not a return of the refractive error. Residual refractive error after EASE does happen – in the registry, 3 of 83 eyes underwent enhancement – and is covered by a warranty for up to 5 years.
Where we perform EASE
We perform EASE at both SwissLaser clinics: in Warsaw (ul. Kolejowa 1, 01-217 Warsaw) and in Krakow (ul. Kluczborska 15/U3, 31-271 Krakow). Both have the SCHWIND ATOS laser, both conduct clinical studies, and the same surgeon operates at both. Directions and parking: laser-vision-correction-warsaw · laser-vision-correction-krakow.
Sources
- SCHWIND eye-tech-solutions: EASE – Epithelial All-femtosecond Surface Excision (product page, accessed 2026-09-29).
- SCHWIND eye-tech-solutions: Review: SCHWIND at ESCRS 2026 (London, September 2026).
- Gabrić I. Back to the surface, without the burn. Epithelial All-Femto Surface Excision (EASE). SCHWIND Symposium, ESCRS, London, 2026-09-14. Registry data of Svjetlost Clinic, Zagreb (119 eyes, 2025-04–2026-03); manuscript JRS-2026-288 under review.
- Gyldenkerne A, Ivarsen A, Hjortdal JØ. Comparison of corneal shape changes and aberrations induced by FS-LASIK and SMILE for myopia. J Refract Surg 2015;31(4):223–229. doi:10.3928/1081597X-20150303-01
- Matched comparison of corneal higher order aberrations induced by SMILE to femtosecond assisted LASIK and to PRK in correcting moderate and high myopia: 3.00 mm vs 6.00 mm. BMC Ophthalmol 2021. doi:10.1186/s12886-021-01987-3
- Comparative analysis of myopia correction outcomes and aberration changes between PRK and SMILE: a study based on strict refractive criteria. BMC Ophthalmol 2025. doi:10.1186/s12886-025-03943-x
- Nassiri N et al. Corneal endothelial cell injury induced by mitomycin-C in photorefractive keratectomy: nonrandomized controlled trial. J Cataract Refract Surg 2008;34(6):902–908. doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2008.03.007
- Wilson SE. Corneal wound healing. Exp Eye Res 2020;197:108089. doi:10.1016/j.exer.2020.108089
- Comparison between transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy versus alcohol-assisted photorefractive keratectomy in correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism. PMC6260527 (epithelial healing 3.2 days after Trans-PRK).
- Adib-Moghaddam S et al. Single-step transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy in high myopia: qualitative and quantitative visual functions. PMC5360782
- Gabrić I, Arba-Mosquera S, Bodakoš Z, Bohač M. Effect of total laser fluence on early and mid-term visual and optical quality outcomes after lenticule extraction with the SCHWIND ATOS. J Refract Surg 2026 (March).
Related Topics
Content fact-checked by Dr. med. univ. (Vienna) Victor Derhartunian, FEBO, FWCRS – specialist in refractive and cataract surgery, chief surgeon at SwissLaser (Warsaw, Krakow) and EyeLaser (Vienna, Zurich). Last verified: September 2026.
