What Is SMILE Laser? How Is It Performed?

SMILE laser is a modern, third-generation technology widely used in eye treatment. It is chosen for patients with conditions such as dry eye, astigmatism, and myopia. Also known as Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, this method is extremely safe, since it does not harm corneal integrity, does not affect the eye's nerves, and does not require a large incision. Complaints such as pain and stinging are minimal after the procedure. This method offers the chance of treatment for astigmatism up to 5.0 diopters and correction for myopia up to -10 diopters.

What Is SMILE Laser?

To expand a bit on the summary above, we can answer the question of what SMILE laser is as follows: it is a surgical procedure performed using the FDA-approved VisuMax femtosecond laser. This treatment, one of the most modern developments in laser eye surgery, is an effective solution for various vision problems. This technique does not require creating a flap. Unlike excimer laser surgery, it also does not require shaving down the corneal tissue. Because no incision is made in the outer layers or surface of the cornea, the corneal structure is not damaged.

Advantages of SMILE Laser

The advantages of the SMILE laser procedure are as follows:

• It prevents the loss of flap tissue. It can also be applied to patients with a high degree of refractive error.
• The corneal incision created is small in size. Because of this, dry eye caused by loss of sensation is reduced to a minimal level.
• No flap is opened during the procedure. For this reason, risks such as flap slippage or displacement do not apply.

Who Can Have SMILE Laser?

SMILE laser treatment can be performed on patients who meet the following criteria:

• Being 18 years of age or older
• Eyeglass prescription being stable (in other words, the refractive error not increasing by more than 0.5 diopters in a year)

• Astigmatism values not exceeding -5.00 diopters
• Myopia values being between -1.00 and -8.00 diopters
• Overall health and eye condition being suitable for this procedure
• No immune system disorder or rheumatic disease

• SMILE laser treatment is not recommended for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those with connective tissue disease, and those with diabetes.

How Is SMILE Laser Performed?

First, the patient undergoes a detailed examination, and the necessary tests are used to determine whether they are a suitable candidate for surgery. (Diagnostic methods such as microscopic examination, strabismus examination, topography imaging, retinal examination, and refraction measurement with drops are used.)

Before the procedure, a low-vacuum ring is placed on the person's eye. Its purpose is to prevent eye movement during treatment. Once the eye is fixed in place, the laser is applied to the eye area for about 20 seconds. This creates a lenticule, a disc-shaped piece of tissue, within the cornea. This piece is removed through a 2 to 4 mm incision. This is how the refractive error is corrected.

Are SMILE Laser and Laser Eye Surgery the Same Thing?

Laser eye surgery and SMILE laser are different from each other. Laser eye surgery is known as the "excimer laser" procedure. SMILE laser has many advantages over laser eye surgery. We can list them as follows:

• Low risk of corneal steepening.
• It does not significantly affect the strength of the corneal layer. It can also be applied to corneas with a thin structure.
• It is a closed-system, single-step treatment.
• It produces a result very close to natural vision. Patients begin to see clearly within a short time.
• Eyes that have had SMILE laser are resistant to impact and trauma. It is an ideal treatment method for athletes and people with an active lifestyle.

SMILE Laser Prices

It would be inaccurate to state a fixed price for the procedure. SMILE laser pricing varies depending on where and by which doctor the surgery will be performed, the patient's eye condition, and the method that needs to be applied. For exact information on this matter, you should consult your physician.

You can get rid of your glasses by scheduling an appointment with our experienced physicians, who perform SMILE laser treatment using the most advanced technology: Prof. Dr. Hakkı DOĞAN, Prof. Dr. Mustafa KOÇ, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Necati DURU, and Op. Dr. Bilge YURDAKUL.