To investigate the results of Advanced Surface Ablation (ASA) coupled with "smoothing" to smooth the ablation surface after covering masking fluid.

ASA was performed in 61 eyes with ablation depth of more than 75 µm. The mean refractive error was -5.88 ± 1.27 D and mean ablation depth was 102.93 ± 12.06 µm. Smoothing was performed in all patients (mean depth 16.79 ± 2.43 µm, mean diameter 8.77 ± 0.16 mm). Customized Aspheric Transition zone (CATz) was used in the laser algorithm.

The mean refractive error was -0.29 ± 0.41 D at postoperative 6 months and 97% of patients had an UCVA of 1.0 or better at postoperative 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference in magnitude of high-order aberrations at postoperative 6 months. The magnitude of total spherical aberrations increase was 0.084 µm at postoperative 6 months ( p <0.05, paired t -test). The cornea was maintained clear in the majority of eyes.

Excellent results were obtained by ASA coupled with "smoothing" in high myopia patients with an ablation depth greater than 75 µm.