SMILE Laser Eye Surgery

What Is Zeiss SMILE Eye Procedure?

Zeiss SMILE Laser vision correction is the vision treatment of choice for the Millennials and Gen X. PRK and Lasik were for your parents and grand parents surgery. SMILE eye operation has no flap (no, please don’t confuse it with PRK) and heals faster than LASIK eye surgery. That means a quicker return to playing video games or work or whatever your passion. Even people who were not candidates for lasik like combat sports people, first responders or swimmers for fear of flap slippage may have SMILE procedure. There is no pain, and no tissue is vaporized. Its safer than even all laser Lasik . Did we mention the incidence of dry eyes is less than LASIK. Yes, so even if your contact lenses have caused you to suffer from dry eyes, there is a solution for you.

SMILE is an acronym for Small Incision Lenticular Extraction. SMILE Laser eye surgery is the first new major advancement in laser vision correction in this century. All other innovations in the last two to three decades have been to refine Lasik, to make it more accurate and safer. Now we have a game changer – SMILE is the next generation of laser vision correction which has gone beyond Lasik. It’s also known as RELEX that means refractive lenticular extraction but since that was causing confusion with PRELEX (a predecessor to PIE,) so SMILE is the chosen name in the United States.

Reviews of SMILE Surgery Performed by Dr. Khanna

Am I a Good Candidate for SMILE Laser Surgery?

Smile eye surgery has been developed with an eye towards safety. The whole goal of coming up with this new technology was to see how we can meet make a refractive procedure as accurate as Lasik, safer than Lasik. With modern day Lasik, the main problem is the flap itself. Creating a flap has become an easy precise process.  The flap is lifted during Lasik treatment. Particles in the air can gain entry in the interface. Even after the surgery the flap leaves a very big opening or wound of entry through which various materials can enter including epithelial cells. There is risk of flap displacement which delays return to normal activities.

The hallmark of SMILE laser eye surgery is there is no flap. Visumax laser carves a disc of tissue inside the cornea. This very thin tissue is separated from adjoining cornea. It is than grasped and removed through a small 4 millimeter incision made by the laser . There is no exposure of the interface to the atmosphere. Since there is no flap and no major opening debris and organisms cannot enter easily. Person can return to their daily activities much faster including water sports. Lasik is contraindicated in contact sports like basketball wrestling surfing. Smile with it’s well preserved cornea it can be used to improve vision in such patients.

Smile eye surgery long-term results ahve shown it to be stable and safe.

Is SMILE Laser Surgery Painless.

Yes! Thats the best news on this page. In Dr.Khanna’s hands SMILE eye surgery is painless. There is no pressure on the eye like in lasik eye surgery. There is therefor no pain, no loss of vision nor redness. Its an efficeient procedure over in a blink of an eye.

How Quick is SMILE Laser Procedure?

Smile eye surgery is a very quick procedure and it takes only 30 seconds for the laser to do its magic. Than the surgeon can remove the disc carved out corneal tissue in the next minute or two. So overall it’s a one to two-minute surgery which is quick and does not require moving a patient from one laser to another.

SMILE recovery timeline

Ziess SMILE done by experienced SMILE Eye surgeon yields a quick recovery. Many patients are able to drive the same day. Most are 20/20 or better in a day or two.

SMILE vs LASIK

SMILE has no flap nor is there an interface. In lasik eye surgery interface can attract microscopic debris. Lasik eye surgery also causes dry eyes as it transacts nerves inthe front of the cornea.. SMILE eye surgery leaves the anterior cornea intact and removes the tissue from deeper layer which have less corneal nerves. Lasik is a 2 step surgery – first the flap with a microkeratome or laser and than excimer laser for actual tisue ablation. SMILE surgery requires only one lase.The duration of the Lasik treatment depends on prescription. Higher treatment take longer times. With SMILE eye procedure it only takes 30 sec irrespective of the magnitude of the prescription. SMILE is also called flapless laser eye surgery.

SMILE vs PRK

In PRK the epithelium is removed. The laser ablation is done on the surface of the cornea. Epithelium is slow and painful. Final vision may take days to weeks. SMILE does not interfere with epithelium, as it is done in deeper corneal tissue. So the healing is quick and painless.

Steps of SMILE Eye Laser Surgery

The eye/eyes to be operated upon are confirmed. The consents and treatment are reviewed. Any questions are addressed.

The eye is numbed and cleaned with Betadine, a strong antiseptic. Patient is comfortably laid under the Visumax laser. The laser is docked on the cornea aligned with the line of sight. In 30 seconds the disc is lasered and a opening into the cornea is made. Separation of the disc from the cornea is done. It is than grasped with special forceps and removed. The excised corneal disc is laid out to ensure its complete. It can be used squeegee out any fluid from the corneal pocket left behind.

Contraindications To Smile Laser Eye Surgery

Unstable refraction, younger than 18, active eye or systemic disease, cataracts prevent us from doing SMILE eye surgery.

Cost of Smile Eye Surgery Enhancement Warranty

The cost varies from $2700 to $3200 per eye depending whether you are financing or paying cash.

Smile eye surgery success rate is very high at Khanna Vision Institute. Smile eye surgery is an intracorneal procedure. It is best performed by Cornea trained professionals. Therefore it is more costlier than lasik eye surgery. We are so confident of our skills and equipment that we offer a lifetime warranty on the procedures performed by Dr.Khanna. So say bye to contact lenses.

For your convenience we have locations in Los Angeles and Ventura County. SMILE lasik is performed in Beverly Hills.