AIM: To compare changes in visual quality and the corneal flap after LASIK surgery with femtosecond laser and microkeratome.

METHODS: The study enrolled 80 patients who received LASIK surgery from March 2009 to March 2012 in our hospital. Among them, femtosecond laser was used for 35 patients and microkeratome was used in the other 40 patients, The two groups were compared with each other in postoperative visual quality and the corneal flap.

RESULTS: Visual quality: the two surgical procedures both had significant predictability, efficacy and safety, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in postoperative visual aberrations and contrast sensitivity(P>0.05); Corneal flap: There was no significant difference between the two groups in corneal thickness at the same horizontal points(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: LASIK surgeries with femtosecond laser and microkeratome, both produce good outcome of vision and the difference in the postoperative corneal flap thickness between the two techniques is not significantly different.