Whether LASIK or SMILE is the laser vision correction best suited for you, your vision for the future can be sharpened.
As you know, LASIK has been helping patients for more than 25 years to see more clearly without glasses. Today we want to tell you about the newest laser vision correction technology coming to our practice- SMILE! Together with LASIK, SMILE provides us with a complete set of laser vision correction tools to help many patients find better vision and less dependence on glasses or contacts.
Understanding how both LASIK and SMILE work will help you understand your vision procedure options.
LASIK was developed in the early 1990s and is the most utilized form of laser vision correction today.
During the LASIK procedure, a laser is used to make a small flap across the cornea, which allows the eye to focus clearly. The flap is then folded back into its position.
After LASIK, it takes very little time for the flap to heal, and side effects include a slight risk of infection and dry eye symptoms. Visual recovery takes place immediately. Healing and stability of the flap take four to seven days.
SMILE is the first major innovation in laser vision correction since LASIK. The procedure is minimally invasive, noiseless and odorless.
During a SMILE procedure, a thin, contact lens-shaped layer just beneath the surface of the eye is removed through a small opening. Due to removing this layer, the cornea is gently reshaped, and the patient’s vision is sharpened correcting the refractive error.
SMILE is a gentle and highly precise procedure lasting only a few minutes total, with the laser only active for about 30 seconds. There is little disturbance to the eye because of the small laser opting size.
Cases of dry eye, severed nerves, and infection as a result of the laser vision correction are very low with SMILE[1]. Overall it tends to be a very comfortable and convenient experience for patients. Patients are able to resume most normal daily activities within a few days, including driving, showering, applying make-up and going to work.
The visual outcome is highly predictable. More than 2.5 million SMILE procedures have been performed worldwide[2], and results have been consistent.
For more information about which options are right for you, fill out our online form or call us at (318) 212-2015.
[1] Dry Eye Disease after Refractive Surgery: comparative outcomes of small incision lenticule extraction versus LASIK. Ophthalmology 2015 Apr, Denoyer A, Landman E, Trinh L, Faure JF, Auclin F, Baudouin C.
[2] As of November 2019
