FIGURE 2.

Schematic illustration of SMILE enhancement using CIRCLE and thin-flap LASIK. In CIRCLE, 3 laser cuts are performed to generate a lamellar ring around the cap cut, A, a side cut with exception of a hinge area, B, and a vertical junction cut, C, to link both treatment planes. In thin-flap LASIK, a new flap with usually 100 μm is generated. Any cross-talk with the epithelium (above the Bowman's layer, seen as a highly reflective line above the LASIK interface) and the SMILE interface (highly reflective line below the LASIK interface) has to be avoided. The green star symbolizes the delta of anterior stroma affected depending on the method chosen.