SMILE quick answers

SMILE (small-incision lenticule extraction) uses a femtosecond laser to shape a thin lens-shaped piece of tissue inside the cornea, which the surgeon removes through a small opening, so no LASIK flap is made.

The core method is the same. SMILE Pro is performed on the next-generation ZEISS VISUMAX 800 platform with a newer, digitally assisted workflow. Your surgeon explains which platform fits your eyes at your consultation.

Nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism, in eyes with a stable prescription and a healthy cornea. Farsightedness is not treated with SMILE Pro under the current U.S. FDA approval. Your scans make the final call.

SMILE financing is $135 per month for 24 months. SMILE Pro financing is $150 per eye per month for 24 months. Your full price is confirmed at your free consultation, after your scans.

All of it: all exams, measurements, surgeon’s fees, anesthetist’s fees, implant fees (where applicable), 24 months of follow-up, all fine-tunings and enhancements, dry eye cure, YAG (where applicable), and the drops needed for surgery.

Yes. SMILE and SMILE Pro consultations are free. The visit is focused on surgery, so it does not include take-home reports. If you want a full new-patient exam with records, that exam is $395.

Usually not. Vision insurance generally covers glasses and contacts rather than elective surgery. We accept PPO plans for medical care, not HMO plans or Medi-Cal. Many patients use HSA or FSA funds.

Many office-based patients return to desk work the next day. Exercise, swimming, makeup, and contact sports follow a written schedule from your surgeon.

Some dryness can happen while the eye heals after any laser vision procedure. Dry eye cure is included in your SMILE price, and we check your tear film before surgery.

Both reshape the cornea. SMILE avoids a flap; LASIK uses one. The right choice depends on your cornea, prescription, and lifestyle. Compare them on our procedure comparison page.