Comparison of Two Rotational Alignment Methods for Astigmatism Correction in SMILE Surgery

Comparison of Astigmatic Correction Outcomes Following SMILE With OcuLign-Assisted Cyclotorsion Control and Manual Limbal Marking: A Prospective Randomized Contralateral-Eye Noninferiority Study

Small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) is a commonly used corneal refractive procedure for correcting myopia and myopic astigmatism. During astigmatism correction, eye rotation between the upright examination position and the supine surgical position may affect the alignment of the astigmatic treatment axis and may contribute to residual astigmatism after surgery.

Manual limbal marking is a commonly used method to guide cyclotorsion adjustment during refractive surgery. OcuLign is an assisted cyclotorsion control function of the VISUMAX 800 platform that helps identify ocular rotation and guide axis alignment during SMILE. However, direct clinical evidence comparing OcuLign-assisted cyclotorsion control with manual limbal marking during SMILE is limited.

This study is a single-center, prospective, randomized, masked, contralateral-eye non-inferiority trial. Adults aged 18 to 40 years with stable myopia and astigmatism who plan to undergo bilateral SMILE surgery will be enrolled. In each participant, one eye will receive SMILE with OcuLign-assisted cyclotorsion control, and the fellow eye will receive SMILE with manual limbal marking-guided cyclotorsion adjustment. The treatment assigned to the right eye will be determined by randomization.

The primary objective is to compare residual refractive astigmatism at 3 months after surgery between the two methods. Secondary outcomes include visual acuity, refractive predictability and stability, astigmatism vector analysis, higher-order aberrations, contrast sensitivity, patient-reported quality of vision, overall satisfaction, and safety outcomes. Participants will be followed for approximately 6 months after surgery.

Accurate alignment of the astigmatic treatment axis is an important factor in the correction of myopic astigmatism during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). Cyclotorsion may occur when a patient changes from the upright preoperative examination position to the supine surgical position, and may also be influenced by fixation, head position, and suction during surgery. Inadequate compensation for ocular rotation may reduce astigmatic correction accuracy and contribute to postoperative residual astigmatism.

Manual limbal marking is a commonly used method for cyclotorsion adjustment in corneal refractive surgery. This method is clinically feasible and widely used, but it depends on preoperative marking and intraoperative manual judgment. Marking clarity, ocular surface conditions, patient cooperation, and surgeon experience may affect the accuracy and reproducibility of the adjustment. OcuLign is an assisted cyclotorsion control function of the VISUMAX 800 platform that helps identify ocular rotation and guide axis alignment during SMILE. This study is designed to compare OcuLign-assisted cyclotorsion control with manual limbal marking-guided cyclotorsion adjustment during SMILE.

This trial uses a prospective, randomized, contralateral-eye non-inferiority design. Each participant will undergo bilateral SMILE surgery. One eye will be assigned to OcuLign-assisted cyclotorsion control, and the fellow eye will be assigned to manual limbal marking-guided cyclotorsion adjustment, according to a prespecified randomization sequence. This paired-eye design is intended to reduce inter-individual variability in refractive characteristics, healing response, and subjective visual perception. Apart from the method of cyclotorsion adjustment, surgical parameters, lenticule design, suction procedure, postoperative medication, and follow-up schedule will be kept consistent between the two eyes.

Participants and postoperative outcome assessors will be masked to the eye-level treatment assignment whenever feasible. The operating surgeon cannot be masked because the assigned cyclotorsion adjustment method must be performed during surgery. Postoperative assessments will be conducted at predefined follow-up visits through approximately 6 months after surgery.

The primary comparison will evaluate whether OcuLign-assisted cyclotorsion control is non-inferior to manual limbal marking-guided adjustment in terms of residual refractive astigmatism at 3 months after surgery. Secondary assessments will evaluate visual acuity, refractive predictability and stability, astigmatism vector parameters, higher-order aberrations, contrast sensitivity, patient-reported quality of vision, satisfaction, and safety. Safety monitoring will include loss of corrected distance visual acuity and postoperative adverse events.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age range: 18 - 40 years old. Patients with myopic astigmatism and stable refractive status for >= 1 year.
2. Normal corneal morphology in both eyes, with corneal thickness and other ocular parameters meeting the requirements for SMILE surgery.
3. Preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) >= 1.0 in both eyes.
4. Manifest refractive cylinder >= 0.75 D in both eyes, with an interocular difference in absolute cylinder power <= 1.00 D.
5. Both eyes can provide reliable preoperative upright-position image information required for astigmatic axis recognition, and are judged by the investigator to meet the requirements for OcuLign cyclotorsion recognition and axis alignment on the VISUMAX 800 platform.
6. Voluntary to undergo bilateral SMILE surgery on the VISUMAX 800 platform, understanding the random eye-assignment scheme and signing the informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History of prior ocular surgery, significant ocular trauma, or presence of ocular diseases that may affect the safety of refractive surgery or the interpretation of study outcomes.
2. Irregular astigmatism or poor repeatability of bilateral astigmatism measurements, making reliable astigmatic axis analysis impossible.
3. Presence of strabismus, nystagmus, significant binocular vision abnormality, or any condition that may affect fixation or cooperation during examinations.
4. Severe systemic diseases that may affect ocular healing or surgical safety.
5. Females who are pregnant or lactating.
6. Inability to complete the required postoperative follow-up visits or questionnaire assessments.