Introduction
Originally called Femtosecond lenticule extraction (FLEx), is a form of laser based refractive eye surgery developed by Carl Zeiss Meditec used to correct myopia, and astigmatism.
Although similar to LASIK laser surgery, the intrastromal procedure is novel in that it uses a single femtosecond laser referenced to the corneal surface to cleave a thin lenticule from the corneal stroma for manual extraction. The lenticule to be extracted is accurately cut to the correction prescription required by the patient using a photodisruption laser-tissue interaction. The method of extraction can be via a LASIK-type flap, but more recently a flapless technique makes a small tunnel incision in the corneal periphery.
