If you have vision problems, then you may be looking into procedures like SMILE, LASIK eye surgery, and PRK. All of these are known for correcting refractive errors, but SMILE is the most significant advanced method of eye surgery technology that has been developed in the last ten years. Dr. Moosa, a top LASIK surgeon in Orange County says that SMILE is a one-step, one laser procedure that is considered even less invasive than LASIK!
What Is a SMILE Procedure?
First of all, SMILE is an acronym for “Small Incision Lenticule Extraction”. Also, it is the latest advancement in laser vision correction. According to Dr. Moosa, one of the leading SMILE and LASIK surgeons in Orange County, the SMILE procedure is an innovative laser eye surgery that is perfect for correcting myopia (nearsightedness).
The SMILE procedure is really easy and straightforward since it is a one-step laser eye surgery, generally performed by a VisuMax laser, which is non invasive. When your eye surgeon performs a SMILE procedure, he or she will use a computer-guided, highly focused light to cut a small incision in the cornea and will remove a tiny piece of corneal tissue, which is known as a lenticule. This helps to reshape the cornea and correct your vision.
This vision procedure combines the safety of already established vision correction techniques with more comfort and the possibility of greater accuracy.
SMILE is an Accurate Procedure
As Dr. Moosa of SMILE LASIK Orange County clinic explains, the cornea is made up of five layers. If the patient has eyesight focusing issues, the eye surgeon corrects this by only reshaping the stroma, which is the middle layer. The SMILE laser operates to apply several tiny bubbles to make the base of the lenticule, located in the lower part of the stroma, and then the top of the lenticule, which is situated in the upper part of the stroma.
The surgeon forms a small keyhole incision so they can access the stroma to remove the targeted piece of tissue to correct the patient’s vision. In just a matter of seconds, the cornea has been reshaped and the patient should receive excellent visual results. In short, SMILE vision correction is a pain-free keyhole procedure that a surgeon performs using a single advanced Zeiss laser.
SMILE Is Comfortable And Easy
SMILE doesn’t take too long since the actual laser part of the procedure is fast and completed in twenty-five seconds. SMILE is a very comfortable procedure. The tiny incision in your cornea generally heals in a couple of days and no stitches are required. Although not everyone experiences the exact same result, the majority of our patients have reported feeling amazing and being able to see better as soon as the very next day.
What Are The Benefits Of SMILE?
It is a less invasive surgery
Patients love SMILE because it is a less invasive procedure when compared to LASIK or PRK. During the LASIK procedure, the surgeon creates a flap to correct the patient’s vision, this flap is 20mm in circumference. During a PRK procedure, an 8mm diameter surface removal is made to correct vision. However, during a SMILE procedure, the surgeon only has to create a 3mm keyhole incision in the patient’s cornea. This tiny incision provides less disturbance to corneal nerves and more corneal stability after surgery.
No Flap Surgery
One of the disadvantages of the LASIK procedure is the formation of a permanent flap of corneal tissue. During LASIK, the surgeon creates a small flap of corneal tissue using a femtosecond laser which he or she folds back.
Then the surgeon uses a second laser, which is called an excimer laser to reshape the underlying corneal tissue and correct the patient’s vision. As a result, it is a more complex procedure than this new vision procedure, SMILE.
Additionally, it is good to know that LASIK is a very safe and reliable procedure.
Complications hardly ever occur, however when complications do arise, they are usually ‘flap related complications’ and are a result of the flap created during surgery. Considering the surgeon doesn’t have to create a flap during a SMILE procedure, there is definitely no risk of flap related complications.
SMILE enables people to have a safe and accurate procedure with a quick visual recovery.
If you’re wondering about SMILE LASIK surgery recovery, ophthalmologists have found that SMILE provides faster visual recovery since it only takes around one or two days to deliver optimal results. Plus, it’s just as accurate and safe as traditional LASIK.
SMILE is quiet, odorless, and blade-free
During the LASIK and PRK procedure, the surgeon uses a second laser called an excimer laser. Anyone who has done a LASIK or PRK procedure can confirm the loud ‘clicking’ noise the laser creates when used, which can be unsettling for some patients.
Additionally, the excimer laser is known for a distinct odor during a LASIK procedure, since it is used to vaporize corneal cells. On the other hand, SMILE does not use an excimer laser. Therefore the procedure is not only quieter, but odorless as well.
Less probability of dry eye syndrome
Some patients have dry eyes as a side effect of laser eye surgery. An advantage of SMILE is that it can lower the chance for dry eyes to occur. Since SMILE only consists of a tiny incision created in the cornea, there is only a slight possibility of dry eyes post-surgery.
If You are Not a Good LASIK Candidate, SMILE Might be an Alternative For You
In some cases, an eye surgeon will find that the patient is not suitable for LASIK. The three most common factors that make a patient not eligible for LASIK are the following:
- Patients who play action sports or have jobs with a lot of direct contact to the eyes such as fighters, boxers and so on.
- Susceptibility to dry eyes or chronic eye syndrome.
- Irregularly shaped or thin corneas.
To ascertain if a patient is suitable for a SMILE procedure, the optometrist will examine the patient’s eyes in the following way:
- Check the general health of the patient’s eyes
- Measure the cornea
- Check the pupil size
- Measure the amount of nearsightedness
Consult with your refractive surgeon for the SMILE, LASIK eye surgery, or PRK procedure that works best for you. Once you have an in-depth consultation, you will have a better idea of your eligibility. If you want further information about PRK, SMILE, or LASIK in Los Angeles, fill out our contact form or give Excel Laser Vision Institute a call at + (818) 907-8606 today.
