AIM:To evaluate the comfort and security of ultra-thin corneal flap made by VisuMax femtosecond laser and Moria One Use-Plus SBK microkeratome.

METHODS:This retrospective case series study included 1 556 eyes of 778 consecutive patients. The eyes were assigned to two groups according to the method of the corneal flap made. VisuMax femtosecond laser group(group A)included 768 eyes of 384 consecutive patients. Moria One Use-Plus SBK microkeratome group(group B)included 788 eyes of 394 consecutive patients. We compared the comfort score in the surgery, the incidence of the corneal flap-related complications, the corneal flap incision bleeding and the subconjunctival hemorrhage, in order to evaluate the comfort and security between the VisuMax femtosecond laser and the Moria One Use-Plus SBK microkeratome.

RESULTS:There were 5 patients(1.3%)feeling very uncomfortable and unbearable in group A while 28 patients(7.1%)feeling the same in group B. Four eyes(0.5%)occurred the intraoperative corneal flap incision bleeding in group A, while 74 eyes(9.4%)occurred in group B. The subconjunctival hemorrhage existed in 18 eyes(2.3%)in group A while the same situation happened to 82 eyes(10.4%)in group B. No eyes(0%)occurred corneal flap edge missing in group A, but 94 eyes(11.9%)occurred the symptom in group B. Four eyes(0.5%)of the corneal flap epithelial part exfoliated, however, that did not affect the successful flap surgery in group A. Fifty-three eyes(6.9%)occurred Opaque Bubble Layer(OBL)in group A. There was no other corneal flap-related complication.

CONCLUSION:The two methods are safe and reliable, and there are no corneal flap-related complications which seriously impact the visual quality after the surgery.