Relationship between postoperative residual refractive error and preoperative corneal stiffness in small-incision lenticule extraction

Postoperative residual refractive error was associated with preoperative corneal stiffness. Patients with less-stiff corneas had a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of residual refractive error after SMILE. Preoperative analysis of corneal stiffness can help modify nomogram algorithms of surgery and improve the predictability of refractive outcomes.