What Is SMILE Laser Eye Surgery?
SMILE™ Pro (Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction) laser eye surgery is an exciting breakthrough in refractive laser correction for short-sightedness. Canberra Eye Laser was the first clinic in Australia to perform SMILE™, and is the longest running SMILE™ clinic in the country.
Using the latest technology available in laser eye surgery, the ZEISS VisuMax 800 laser creates a refractive lenticule in the intact cornea, which is then removed through a keyhole incision.
This leaves the cornea stronger as the incision is much shorter and a flap is not lifted. Because no flap is lifted, disruption to the cornea is minimal and corneal strength is maintained.
The removal of the lenticule changes the form of the cornea, correcting the refraction and improving vision.
SMILE Pro Laser Eye Surgery Treatment Steps
Step 1
To reduce pain during the surgery, anesthesia drops are given to numb the eye.
Step 2
In one step, a small piece of corneal tissue (lenticule) and a small incision are created inside the cornea.
Step 3
The lenticule is gently removed through the small incision.
Step 4
By removing the lenticule and changing the shape of the cornea, the vision correction is achieved without flap-related complications.
The Advantages of SMILE Pro Laser Eye Surgery
- SMILE laser is minimally invasive when compared to 1st and 2nd generation laser surgery eye surgery, due to only a small incision
- This procedure is a gentle and convenient technique, with the SMILE laser itself only lasting a few seconds.
- The SMILE laser procedure is flapless, and as a result, there are no flap-related complications, a low incidence of dry eyes and a low risk of infection
- There is generally a great suitability with SMILE laser eye surgery, and it is a possible option for patients with contact lens intolerance and a dry eye tendency.
- The side effects of SMILE laser surgery are very rare, but cannot be completely ruled out.
Recovery Time for SMILE Laser Eye Surgery
It is recommended to take two days off work and family commitments. Vision recovers quickly after SMILE laser eye surgery, with most patients surprised at how well they can see the following day. It is normal for minor fluctuations in vision to occur over the following days and weeks as healing continues.
Patients generally find that they can drive within 48 hours of smile laser eye surgery once cleared by the medical team. It is recommended to avoid high-intensity exercise for two weeks.
SMILE Pro laser eye surgery only takes 10-20 seconds per eye, but you will need to be at our clinic for 20 to 30 minutes for pre-operative consultation with the doctors and preparation.
This depends on your age and your SMILE Pro laser surgery results, but this is the goal.
We recommend taking 1-2 days off work for your SMILE laser surgery and recovery, depending on your working environment. Our team can provide a medical certificate.
SMILE Pro laser surgery costs $4,000 per eye, however, these costs may vary so we recommend booking a free assessment to determine the final costs.
Although Medicare doesn't cover laser eye surgery, SMILE laser eye surgery is often covered by BUPA private health insurance.
LASIK requires the need for a cornea flap, whereas SMILE laser eye surgery does not and is simply keyhole surgery. The results of SMILE are comparable to or better than LASIK.
Other advantages of SMILE surgery include:
- Minimally invasive due to only a small incision
- A gentle and convenient technique, with the SMILE laser only lasting seconds
- The laser eye surgery is flapless, meaning that there are no flap-related complications, a low incidence of dry eyes and a low risk of infections.
SMILE laser eye surgery doesn't hurt. No needles are used, and local anaesthetic eye drops are used to numb your eyes once you are in the procedure room. Some slight sensation to touch on your eyelids and forehead may be felt. You will notice a mild pressure sensation on your eye during the procedure. You don't need to worry about blinking and the doctor will talk you through the whole process.