SMILE Eye Surgery

Flapless Laser Vision Correction

SMILE is an acronym for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction. The laser is able to sculpt front and rear surfaces of a tiny lens-shaped section of tissue, then create a tiny keyhole incision allowing the surgeon to remove this lenticule — all without creating a LASIK flap. SMILE has now been approved by the FDA for treatment of myopia (nearsightedness), and up to 3 diopters of astigmatism. Over 750,000 SMILE procedures have been performed worldwide and represents an exciting next step in laser vision correction. SMILE laser vision correction offers the advantages of LASIK (quick visual recovery, excellent long-term stability) while avoiding the potential downsides of LASIK flap creation.

SMILE offers several features that differentiate it from LASIK:

  • No flap creation, so there cannot be any flap-related complications.
  • Preserves corneal nerves, so dry eye symptoms may be reduced.
  • Preserves corneal biomechanical integrity by not cutting corneal collagen fibers

We are thrilled to be one of the first US centers offering SMILE, and are scheduling patients now for this exciting new vision correction procedure.