AIM:To observe the recovery of corneal subbasal nerves after laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis(LASEK), laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK), femto-second lenticule extraction(FLEx)and small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE).

METHODS: Confocal microscopy was used to observe subbasal nerves 1mo after surgery in 12 eyes of 12 LASEK patients, 12 eyes of 12 LASIK patients, 12 eyes of 12 FLEx patients and 12 eyes of 12 SMILE patients as well as some other follow-up times.

RESULTS: Subbasal nerves 1mo after SMILE were almost complete and regular, showing no significant differences from those 2wk after surgery or even unoperated eyes. The nerves cut off at the incision were well involuted 1mo after surgery. Subbasal nerves were damaged in different degrees and got repaired to form communicating branches with time lapse after LASEK, LASIK and FLEx.

CONCLUSION: SMILE exerted small infections on subbasal nerves. It may be superior to other corneal refractive surgeries in terms of postoperative nerve recovery.