SMILE LASIK Eye Surgery

About SMILE LASIK Eye Surgery

SMILE, or small incision lenticule extraction, is a newer form of laser vision correction that treats nearsightedness and astigmatism without creating the larger hinged flap used in traditional LASIK. Instead, a femtosecond laser is used entirely within the cornea to carve a thin, lens-shaped piece of tissue, called a lenticule, which is then removed through a very small incision, just a few millimeters wide, reshaping the cornea's curvature to correct the eye's focus. Because the procedure avoids a large surface flap, it preserves more of the cornea's structural integrity and outer nerve layer, which some patients find results in less dryness and a faster return to normal corneal sensation during recovery. The entire treatment is performed with a single laser system rather than two, and is completed in a few minutes per eye under topical anesthesia. Candidates are generally adults with stable, qualifying degrees of myopia or astigmatism, determined through a comprehensive pre-operative assessment including corneal thickness and shape mapping. Visual recovery is typically rapid, with most patients seeing clearly within a day or two. Eye centers in India increasingly offer SMILE alongside LASIK, allowing surgeons to recommend the technique best suited to each patient's corneal profile.