Have you been considering permanently correcting your vision with a procedure like LASIK? While LASIK has helped millions of patients achieve clearer vision, it’s not the only option.
Newer procedures, such as SMILE eye surgery, utilize advanced technology to offer patients unique benefits, including improved safety profiles and simpler recoveries. Keep reading to learn more about 5 reasons patients are choosing SMILE over traditional LASIK.
What is LASIK?
LASIK is a popular vision correction procedure that has been helping patients enjoy freedom from visual aids for decades. It corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism by reshaping the cornea using specialized lasers.
After your eyes are numbed, your LASIK surgeon begins the procedure by using a femtosecond laser to create a small flap on the surface of the cornea. Then, they fold the flap back and reshape the corneal tissue underneath with an excimer laser.
To complete the procedure, the flap is returned to its original position, where it acts as a natural bandage while you heal. Many patients begin noticing visual improvements right away and can return to normal activities within one to three days.
How is SMILE Different from LASIK?
SMILE, which stands for Small Incision Lenticular Extraction, is a modern vision correction procedure that can treat nearsightedness and astigmatism. Your eye doctor begins the procedure similarly to LASIK by numbing your eyes with anesthetic drops.
However, instead of making a flap on your cornea, they will create a lenticule with a femtosecond laser, which is a small, lens-shaped piece of tissue. They will then pull the lenticule through a tiny incision in your eye, reshaping your cornea in the process to correct your refractive errors.
While the visual results of SMILE and LASIK are very similar, the way SMILE is performed offers patients unique benefits:
1. Less Invasive Procedure
When creating the flap required for LASIK, your eye surgeon will need to make an incision in the epithelium of your cornea that’s around 20 millimeters long. SMILE provides a less invasive alternative, as the incision created during the procedure is typically only around 4 millimeters in length.
2. Safer for Patients with Thin Corneas
If you have thin corneas, you may not be a good candidate for LASIK. This is because your cornea needs to be thick enough to safely support the flap made during the procedure.
SMILE offers patients with thin corneas a great alternative to LASIK that’s safer for their cornea.
3. Great for Athletes
Vision correction procedures offer numerous benefits for athletes, including improved depth perception, a wider field of vision, and enhanced visual acuity. However, some athletes may not be good candidates for LASIK.
Specifically, athletes who play contact sports are often better candidates for SMILE than for LASIK. This is because the corneal flap created during LASIK has the potential to become dislodged during a sports injury.
If this occurs, it could pose a significant risk to your vision and impact the outcome of your procedure. Because there is no flap needed for SMILE, athletes can comfortably enjoy the benefits of their crisp, clear vision without worrying about flap-related complications.
4. Decreased Risk of Post-Operative Dry Eye
Patients with severe dry eye are typically not good candidates for LASIK. This is because the procedure has the potential to cause dry eye or exacerbate existing dry eye symptoms.
When the corneal flap is made during LASIK, it disturbs the corneal nerves that are responsible for telling your eyes to produce more tears so they can stay properly lubricated. Because the incision needed for the SMILE procedure is much smaller, it interferes with fewer corneal nerves, decreasing your risk of post-operative dry eye symptoms.
5. Shorter Recovery Times
SMILE patients often enjoy quicker recoveries than LASIK patients due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure. Any side effects tend to be mild and temporary, with most patients sleeping them off and returning to normal activities the next day.
While your eye doctor will give you individual instructions about when you can resume regular activities, depending on how your eyes are healing, the majority of patients can work and drive after just one day of recovery.
Is SMILE Right for You?
If you want to enjoy crystal-clear vision and break free from the hassles of glasses and contacts, SMILE eye surgery could be the procedure for you. Even if you’ve been told you’re not a good candidate for procedures like LASIK due to thin corneas or dry eye, SMILE could still help you achieve the vision of your dreams.
Typically, good candidates for SMILE:
- Are at least 18 years old
- Have nearsightedness or astigmatism
- Have a stable prescription that hasn’t changed for at least one year
- Are not pregnant or nursing
- Do not have autoimmune conditions that could interfere with the healing process, like lupus, diabetes, Sjögren’s syndrome, or rheumatoid arthritis
- Do not have eye conditions like glaucoma or cataracts
- Have realistic expectations about the visual outcomes of SMILE
To determine if SMILE is right for you, the first step is to attend a consultation with your eye doctor at Loden Vision Centers. They will consider these candidacy factors, conduct a comprehensive eye exam, review your medical history, and ask about your lifestyle and vision goals to help you arrive at an informed decision about the procedure.
Are you ready to enjoy crisp, clear vision free from glasses and contacts? Schedule your consultation at Loden Vision Centers in Nashville, TN, today to find out if SMILE could be your key to visual freedom!
