SMILE Eye Surgery For Vision Correction
What is SMILE laser eye surgery?
Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) laser eye surgery is the latest advancement in laser vision correction. SMILE is a minimally invasive surgery done to correct myopia (nearsightedness) with outstanding results. Apart from myopia, it is also useful in treating mild astigmatism up to 5 diopters. Alternatively, SMILE is known as Refractive Lenticule Extraction/RELEX.
It is based on Nobel Prize winning technology (Nobel Prize in Physics 2018) and is a quantum leap in refractive surgery.
Enter the World of Blade-free Procedures Beyond Spectacles Beyond Lasik
● It’s Bladeless + Flapless + Painless
● Comes with Maximum Safety + Maximum Precision + Maximum Comfort
CHOOSE SMILE | BEYOND LASIK, BEYOND CONTOURA
ReLex SMILE eye surgery is both bladeless and painless
ReLex SMILE eye surgery is a fully automated next-generation procedure
that is completed in a short time to give long-lasting and stable results.
The chances that a patient might require retreatment are meagre as compared
to other blade-free Lasik procedures.
The eye surgeon anaesthetizes a patient’s eye before performing ReLex
SMILE laser eye surgery and then prevents it from blinking or closing with
the help of a speculum. The surgeon utilizes Femto laser technology to
create precise lenticular surfaces in the cornea and later removes the
lenticule through the incision.
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SMILE laser eye surgery is a highly advanced blade-free laser
vision correction technology that is even more precise compared to the widely used Femto-Lasik
and Contura procedures.
Benefits of ReLex SMILE surgery
Minimally invasive
Flapless
Painless
Keyhole surgery
Beyond Lasik, Beyond Contura
Safe, fast and uncomplicated
Bladeless
3rd generation
More precise and accurate
Quicker surgery recovery
Minimal dryness
Enhanced post-operative stability
What does Relex SMILE eye surgery offer?
Painless correction of myopia and astigmatism
Suitable for patients having problems with contact lenses or dry eyes
Has been performed upon more than 3 million eyes
Advantages of SMILE eye surgery over the conventional Lasik treatment
| No Corneal Flap Creation | There is no risk of corneal flap displacement or any subsequent complications. |
|---|---|
| Less Dry Eyes | Small incision ensures that there is almost no cutting of corneal nerves, resulting in less dry eyes and better corneal sensitivity. |
| Better Corneal Biomechanics | There is minimal to almost no loss of corneal biomechanical strength. |
| Greater Precision & Stability | SMILE uses a Femtosecond Laser and not an Excimer Laser, which implies that the total energy introduced by the laser into the eye is 10-times lower, less inflammable, and has greater stability. |
| Fully Automated & Quick | This process takes only 20-30 seconds per eye and has delivered outstanding visual results with more patients achieving 20/20 vision. |
| Enhanced Ability To See Clearly In Low Light | Patients can see much better in the dark, even at dusk or at night. |
| ReLex SMILE Eye Laser Surgery is Less Invasive | The incision made during SMILE surgery is only 2mm wide, far less invasive than the 2mm one made in LASIK. This also reduces the disturbance that corneal nerves suffer in other surgical procedures. |
| ReLex SMILE Eye Surgery is Noiseless and Odourless | Both Lasik and PRK procedures use an excimer laser during the surgery. It creates a loud noise and a noticeable odour while ablating corneal cells that may be disconcerting to the patient. In contrast, SMILE eye surgery is both odourless and quiet. |
The Procedure of SMILE surgery
SMILE laser eye surgery is a unique treatment with the proper procedure, which includes:
The eye specialist gives anaesthetic eye drops to numb the eye and ensures painless treatment.
Using Carl Zeiss Visu Max laser, a number of pulses are placed on the cornea’s centre with extraordinary precision.
The pulses from the laser then create tiny bubbles, approximately less than one-hundredth of the width of a human hair. The bubbles create the outline for the tissue that needs to be removed.
The laser creates a small connecting tunnel which allows the doctor to draw out the tissue, therefore changing the shape of the cornea to improve the patient’s vision. The whole procedure is completed in less than 15 minutes for both eyes while using the laser only for a small proportion of this time.
When should I go for ReLex SMILE surgery?
| ReLEx SMILE surgery is suitable for those who are unfit candidates for Lasik eye surgery because of dry eyes, thin corneas, or intolerance to contact lenses. | ReLEx SMILE surgery gives long term stability with least or no complications. To be precise, it is a painless and safe procedure. | The incision made in ReLEx SMILE surgery is 80% less than the flap cut made during the conventional Lasik laser surgery. |
Busting the myths related with SMILE eye surgery
MYTH 1: SMILE laser eye surgery is new and still developing, so wait
SMILE comes with its own robust set of evidence-based excellent track records. It is one of the safest methods to correct nearsightedness or myopia.
MYTH 2: Youll need glasses post-procedure
No, its not entirely true. In the FDAs review of the procedure, 98.5%
of the participants saw a significant improvement in their vision, and
93% of the total population had attained near-perfect vision.
SMILE refractive surgery wont guarantee that you wont need glasses in
old age as no existing treatment can stop the eventual decay of eyes or
formation of cataract at one age. SMILE eye surgery promises an excellent
long-term vision improvement and maintenance of the same.
MYTH 3: You could end up blind from SMILE laser eye surgery
SMILE surgery has an excellent safety record. Any invasive surgery always
comes with a risk of complications, but theres no chance that this procedure
could blind a patient.
The incision used in SMILE is 80% smaller than in standard forms of LASIK,
and many doctors argue that it minimizes the chances of corneal thinning
and post-procedure dry eye symptoms.
MYTH 4: The procedure is painful, and if I blink the procedure could go wrong
Its natural to blink, but during the procedure, your eyes are numbed. A speculum and suction are employed to ensure that your eye stays in place throughout the process. SMILE eye doctors ensure that the conditions are safe before they begin the procedure, and the total duration of the treatment is only 15 minutes. Patients who had undergone the process have reported the surgery as painless.
MYTH 6: My prescription is too severe to be treated, and I have astigmatism too
Currently, myopia correction in SMILE ≤–10.00 D with or without astigmatism
≤–5.00 D is approved by the FDA.
For nearsightedness and astigmatism, SMILE laser eye surgery is capable
of treating the vast majority of cases as long as other eye health problems
arent present.
Getting eye surgery for clear vision is a life-changing decision. Therefore,
the search for the perfect eye surgery is an ongoing quest. Only the best
procedure, the best eye surgeon, or the best Lasik centre, can help you
sail smoothly through this journey. With Centre for Sight’s highly sophisticated
technology and infrastructure, the patients get the best treatment, service
and care.
Explore our page on Lasik and Refractive Surgery to get an in-depth detail
about Lasik laser eye treatment.
ADVANTAGES SMILE LASER EYE SURGERY OVER BLADE-FREE LASIK & CONTOURA
| SMILE | BLADE-FREE LASIK/CONTOURA | |
|---|---|---|
| Alternate Names | RELEX/Refractive Lenticule Extraction | iLASIK/Wave-Lasik/Contoura Vision/Robotic Lasik |
| Incision size | 2mm-Key Hole Surgery | 22mm Diameter Flap Cut |
| Dry eye | Less to No Dry Eye | Dry Eye Common |
| Long term stability of correction | Higher | Lesser |
| Need for retreatment | Lesser | Higher |
| Ease of retreatment | Yes | Yes |
Is SMILE laser eye surgery right for me?
SMILE laser eye surgery creates outstanding visual results. Patients report better quality of vision, particularly their ability to see in low light, such as in the night and dust.
SMILE eye surgery cost
SMILE is a single step laser treatment. It is the 3rd generation of laser
vision correction beyond PRK and Lasik. With Centre for Sight, keep all
your worries at bay regarding the efficiency of the SMILE laser eye surgery.
Our expert doctors are well versed with the procedure, having performed
the surgery with thousands of happy patients.
Along with SMILE, our doctors specialise in various fields, including
Lasik & Refractive Surgery, Cornea Services, Ocular Surface & Dry
Eyes Disorders, Computer Vision Syndrome, Paediatric Ophthalmology and
Squint, Cataract, and Glaucoma services.
We also offer treatment to correct all types of refractive errors such
as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Our highly-skilled eye
specialists perform all kinds of refractive surgery using state-of-the-art
technology to provide glass-free and clear vision.
SMILE creates a difference by these factors:
Keyhole surgery: blade free and flapless technology
Quick recovery
Least possibility of dry eye as corneal nerves are well preserved
Less chance of retreatment
Very few instances of developing complications: being a flapless surgery, SMILE does not have any chances of flap related complications including wrinkles in flap due to eye rubbing in early postoperative phase or complete displacement of flap due to trauma in late cases
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DO YOU ALSO HAVE THESE QUERIES?
Is SMILE laser eye surgery procedure very painful?
The whole surgery is done without causing any pain or discomfort to the eyes. The recovery time is also very fast, which allows you to adjust to the changes very quickly.
How quick is the recovery after SMILE laser edge surgery?
The recovery time is different for every patient, but on average, most people usually get back home the very same day after surgery. It is a quick and hassle-free recovery.
Are there any complications after SMILE eye surgery?
SMILE eye surgery was developed to minimise the complications that persist in previous surgical techniques. Nowadays, post-operation issues are almost zero, and the whole process is pain-free.
Is SMILE a laser surgery?
SMILE eye surgery is a blade-free one-laser vision correction surgery. This means that throughout the procedure, the laser is only used once
Do I need to prepare for my eye surgery?
There are no special preparations that a patient needs to do on his/her part. All preparations are suggested and done by the staff and doctors of the centre.
Why is SMILE better than other laser surgeries?
SMILE laser eye surgery is better than other laser procedures like LASIK and PRK because it is flapless. With just one laser and no blades, it does not require corneal flaps and is relatively simple.
How accurate is SMILE eye surgery?
It is a very accurate and precise procedure. It does not affect the cornea cells or does any damage to the tissues. It is acknowledged to be better than Lasik in most cases.
Am I eligible for SMILE laser eye surgery?
Patients suitable for the Lasik procedure can also undergo SMILE surgery. However, you have to consult the ophthalmologist first. Book your appointment at Centre for Sight for a detailed examination now.
How much time does SMILE surgery take?
The surgery takes about 15 minutes and is done on an outpatient basis. The patient can go back home the same day.
When can I get back to my routine lifestyle post-surgery?
The patient is advised to take rest and stay indoors for at least 24 hours.
Will I be awake during the SMILE surgery?
Yes, a patient remains awake during the procedure. Surgeons use anaesthetic eye drops before the surgery. The patient feels numbness in the eyes with no pain sensation.
Is SMILE surgery a permanent treatment?
Yes, SMILE surgery gives accurate and highly predictable results.
Are both the eyes treated during the same surgery?
Yes, SMILE is usually done for both the eyes.
What is ReLEx?
ReLex is an acronym for Refractive Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx). It is the most advanced laser vision correction procedure.
Are there any diet restrictions after ReLEx SMILE surgery?
No, there are no diet restrictions post-ReLEx SMILE surgery.
Why is washing eyes with water not recommended after post-procedure?
The regular water does not contain the same salt concentration as your tears. Instead of using water, your surgeon may prescribe you lubricating eye drops that maintain PH balance in your eyes. Regular water can also be a source of infection. Hence, in the post-operative phase, use only prescribed medications as recommended by your surgeon. You can get back to your usual routine as recommended by your surgeons (usually within a few days)
