Figure 3

In vivo confocal microscopy evaluation at 4 days and 4 weeks postoperatively at the lenticule plane (SMILE and SMILE-W groups) or flap interface (LASIK group) (A). These planes were acellular and characterized by light-scattering particles in the post-SMILE and post-LASIK eyes at day 4. Bar graphs showing the mean intensity of stromal reflectivity for different groups at day 4 (B) and week 4 (C). At day 4, the +4.00 D hyperopic-LASIK group had significantly higher reflectivity than the +4.00 D hyperopic-SMILE group, whereas there was no significant difference between the SMILE +2.00 D and LASIK +2.00 groups. The SMILE groups had significantly higher reflectivity than the SMILE-W groups for both +2.00 D and +4.00 D corrections at day 4. These differences were not seen at week 4. Error bars represent SD; *indicates P < 0.05.