Why is SMILE such a good option?

For a long time, LASIK was considered by many to be the King of Laser Eye Surgery – the gold standard. While this is still true for many patients today, being the most popular treatment for common conditions such as short- and long-sightedness, the newest form of Laser Eye Surgery – ReLEx SMILE – is revolutionising the industry.

Advanced technology and techniques now mean that London Vision Clinic is now able to offer an effective alternative to LASIK. An alternative that opens up the possibilities of Laser Eye Surgery to more people than ever before.

What’s so special about SMILE?

While LASIK remains an incredibly effective treatment option, it usually requires the surgeon to switch between instruments during surgery. Thanks to new technology, in particular the Carl Zeiss VisuMax Femtosecond laser, corrections can now be performed with just one laser.

This sounds all well and good but what does it all mean for the patient? Why is SMILE such a good option over other types of Laser Eye Surgery?

Well, there are a bunch of reasons, but here are the big ones:

SMILE Leaves the cornea intact

It’s widely understood that the strongest layers of the cornea are those closest to the surface. Due to the minimally invasive nature of SMILE, this area remains relatively undisturbed. This means that more strength is retained in the cornea after surgery compared to a flap-based procedure like LASIK.

In SMILE, tiny pulses are used to create a tunnel from the surface of the eye to the corneal bed. Through this tiny tunnel, the surgeon is then able to draw out tissue, reshaping the cornea.

SMILE is suitable for more patients

Another benefit to SMILE is that it opens up Laser Eye Surgery to even more patients. As Professor Dan Reinstein explains:

“Not only is the patient experience greatly enhanced, as there is less surgical manipulation of the eye – making it less invasive than traditional laser eye surgery – but it also makes vision correction available to people who would have previously been told that they were unsuitable candidates. It’s a major development.”

Dry eye is one of the most common side effects following Laser Eye Surgery. For most people, this means little more than avoiding screens for 24 hours and applying lubricating eye drops for a short period. However, for some patients who already suffer from corneal dryness, this can be more of an issue.

In some cases, corneal dryness can often make patients unsuitable for LASIK or LASEK. Luckily, as fewer nerve fibres are disrupted during the SMILE procedure, these patients now have another option. SMILE can significantly reduce – or even eliminate – dry eye symptoms following surgery.

What’s more, SMILE can safely go beyond the boundaries of flap-based Laser Eye Surgery and treat even higher myopic prescriptions than previously thought possible.

Interested in learning more about SMILE? Book a Consultation today or speak with one of our Patient Care Coordinators by calling 020 7224 1005.