{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T12:02:07Z","timestamp":1784548927435,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784505600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Femtosecond laser-assisted\n                    <jats:italic>in situ<\/jats:italic>\n                    keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) remains a mature corneal refractive procedure, but its role is being reshaped by small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE), transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy, and phakic intraocular lens implantation. This Mini Review proposes a phenotype-centered expert framework, derived from the available literature, for considering when FS-LASIK\u2019s strengths--customized excimer ablation, rapid rehabilitation, enhancement flexibility, presbyopic planning, and hyperopic treatment--may outweigh its flap-related and ocular surface limitations. Evidence is synthesized across visual outcomes, optical quality, ocular surface effects, corneal nerves, biomechanics, regression, epithelial thickness mapping, artificial intelligence-assisted screening, and evolving lenticule platforms. Rather than ranking procedures, the review outlines clinical scenarios in which FS-LASIK, SMILE, TransPRK, or phakic intraocular lens implantation may be appropriate.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1908185","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T11:10:25Z","timestamp":1784545825000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK in the SMILE era: a mini review of patient-centered procedure selection"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Zitong","family":"Yu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Shanghai Bright Eye Hospital","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tong","family":"Qin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Shanghai Jiao Tong University","place":["Shanghai, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.4103\/tjo.TJO-D-23-00083","article-title":"Femtosecond laser applications in corneal surgery","volume":"13","author":"Morales-Wong","year":"2023","journal-title":"Taiwan J Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2467","DOI":"10.2147\/OPTH.S481421","article-title":"Recent advances in refractive surgery: an overview","volume":"18","author":"Gurnani","year":"2024","journal-title":"Clin Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mjafi.2024.08.003","article-title":"Current paradigms in refractive surgery","volume":"80","author":"Namdev","year":"2024","journal-title":"Med J Armed Forces 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wavefront-optimized LASIK and topography-guided LASIK for myopia and myopic astigmatism","volume":"9","author":"Zhang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Med (Lausanne)"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1097\/ICU.0000000000001145","article-title":"Comparing femtosecond LASIK and small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE)","volume":"36","author":"Ahluwalia","year":"2025","journal-title":"Curr Opin Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"278","DOI":"10.1097\/ICU.0000000000001060","article-title":"Femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis versus small-incision lenticule extraction: current approach based on evidence","volume":"35","author":"Teo","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr Opin Ophthalmol"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2914","DOI":"10.1177\/1120672120980346","article-title":"Femtosecond laser assisted in situ keratomileusis yields better results than transepithelial 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