Peri-operative intrastromal corneal segmentation after creation of corneal cuts based on laser induced optical breakdown: A perspective study

Refractive correction techniques, such as Lenticule Extraction and LASIK, are pivotal in corneal surgery. Precise morphological characterization is essential for identifying post-operative complications, which can be compromised by image noise and low contrast. This study introduces an automated image processing algorithm that integrates non-local denoising, the Sobel gradient method, and Bayesian optimization to accurately delineate lenticule volumes and flap surfaces. Validated on 60 ex vivo porcine eyes treated with the SCHWIND ATOS femtosecond laser, the algorithm demonstrated high accuracy compared to the manual gold standard while effectively reducing variability.