SMILE Laser Eye Surgery

ReLex SMILE Laser Eye Surgery

ReLEx SMILE is a minimally invasive, bladeless form of keyhole laser eye surgery, offering a great alternative to LASEK and LASIK treatments.

The treatment can correct higher degrees of myopia (short sightedness), and is suitable for individuals aged 20 to 45, with or without astigmatism.

How Does SMILE Eye Surgery Work?

During SMILE eye surgery a state-of-the-art Carl Zeiss VisuMax laser places a series of pulses in the centre of the cornea, with extraordinary 3D accuracy.

These pulses form bubbles that are less than 1/100th the width of a human hair, and which outline the tissue that needs to be removed to change the shape of the cornea. The laser then creates a tiny connecting tunnel through which the surgeon draws out this tissue.

With SMILE no flap is created so the eye is more comfortable postoperatively than other laser eye surgery techniques. The procedure takes a matter of minutes, and your vision will be 80% better within a few hours, reaching 100% within a few days.

Patients can expect a quick recovery time with SMILE laser eye surgery however it is completely normal for your vision to be blurry for a little while afterwards.

Benefits of SMILE Laser Eye Surgery

• Fast treatment – SMILE takes less than 15 minutes, with the laser only used for a fraction of this time
• Quick recovery time
• Better for the stability of the cornea
• Less risk of developing dry eyes
• No discomfort – its a painless procedure
• More patients are eligible for SMILE
• No flap complications
• Fixes astigmatism

Are you suitable for SMILE eye surgery?

One of the great things about SMILE laser eye surgery is that more people are suitable for this than for LASEK and LASIK treatments. With regards to the latter two options; patients with dry eyes generally aren’t accepted so, if you have mild to moderate dry eyes, SMILE treatment may be ideal. You could also benefit from SMILE eye surgery if you have an intolerance to contact lenses and / or a thinner than average cornea.

If you have any questions about laser eye surgery please do contact us by calling 07944 774 391 or click here to email us and we'll call you back.