SMILE Pro · Rajesh Khanna, MD
SMILE Pro, with the care I give my own family
Reviewed by Rajesh Khanna, MD
“I'll take care of you like I took care of my mom, my wife and my son.”
Maybe your contacts feel dry by mid-afternoon, or your glasses fog up at the gym. SMILE Pro may be one way to need them less. The ZEISS VISUMAX 800 shapes a thin disc of tissue inside the cornea, and Dr. Khanna removes it through a small opening, with no LASIK flap. Your VIP consult tells you honestly whether it fits your eyes, including when the answer is no.
Laser vision · ZEISS VISUMAX 800
SMILE Pro: flapless laser vision correction
Reviewed by Rajesh Khanna, MD
SMILE Pro is the newest way to perform SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction). The ZEISS VISUMAX 800 laser shapes a thin disc of tissue inside the cornea, and Dr. Khanna removes it through a small opening, with no LASIK flap. It treats eligible nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism, in adults 22 and older.
$150 per eye per month for 24 months · VIP consult with Rajesh Khanna, MD
How it works
What SMILE Pro is
In SMILE and SMILE Pro, a femtosecond laser creates a thin lenticule, a small disc of tissue, inside the cornea. Dr. Khanna removes it through a small opening, which reshapes the cornea and corrects the prescription.
"Pro" refers to the newer ZEISS VISUMAX 800 platform. It creates the lenticule faster and adds digital aids for centration (CentraLign) and for adjusting to eye rotation (OcuLign). The surgery itself is the same small-incision method.
A newer laser can make the experience smoother. It cannot make the wrong candidate right, and it cannot guarantee a better result.
Compare
SMILE Pro vs SMILE vs LASIK
SMILE Pro and SMILE are the same surgery on different generations of laser. LASIK is a different approach that uses a flap.
| Feature | SMILE Pro | SMILE | LASIK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Small-incision lenticule extraction | Small-incision lenticule extraction | Corneal flap, then excimer laser reshaping |
| Flap | No | No | Yes |
| Laser | ZEISS VISUMAX 800 | Earlier ZEISS VisuMax | Femtosecond plus excimer laser |
| Lenticule creation | Under 10 seconds (ZEISS data) | Ask at your VIP consult | Not applicable |
| Alignment aids | CentraLign and OcuLign | Surgeon-guided | Varies by laser |
| Monthly cost | $150 per eye for 24 months | $135 per eye for 24 months | See LASIK |
| What still matters most | Accurate measurements, careful candidate selection, surgical planning, technique and follow-up care | ||
Candidacy
Are you a candidate for SMILE Pro?
A glasses prescription alone can't tell whether your cornea is safe for laser correction. Your VIP consult measures it.
Often a good fit
- Age 22 or older (current U.S. labeling)
- Stable prescription over the past year
- Nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism, in the approved range
- Healthy corneal shape and enough tissue
- Healthy or well-treated eye surface
- Realistic expectations about recovery and results
May not be right, or not yet
- A prescription that is still changing
- Irregular corneal maps, keratoconus or higher ectasia risk
- Significant untreated dry eye
- Not enough corneal tissue for a safe treatment
- Farsightedness (not covered by the U.S. approval)
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding, or certain eye or general health conditions
Over 40? The conversation changes
Correcting distance vision doesn't stop presbyopia, the natural loss of near focus with age. Dr. Khanna will talk through your reading, screen and night-driving needs. If SMILE Pro isn't the right choice, he may suggest LASIK or SuperLASIK, ASA/PRK, EVO ICL, a lens-based option such as PIE, treating dry eye first, or no surgery.
Procedure day
What SMILE Pro is like
Map and qualify
Refraction, corneal topography and tomography, thickness and eye-surface testing at your VIP consult.
Numb and position
Drops numb the eye and the laser gently docks. You stay awake and may feel pressure.
Create and remove
The laser shapes the lenticule. Dr. Khanna removes it through the small opening.
Protect and recover
Your eye is checked, drops and limits are reviewed, and someone drives you home.
Recovery
Quick for many, still surgery for everyone
Many patients notice clearer vision quickly, sometimes by the next day. Healing and activity clearance vary, so follow Dr. Khanna's instructions rather than a timeline from social media.
Surgery day
Hazy vision, watering and light sensitivity are common. Use your drops, rest, don't rub your eyes, and have a driver.
First 24 hours
Vision often improves but can fluctuate. Come to your scheduled follow-up.
First few days
Use drops as directed, take screen breaks, and wear sunglasses outdoors.
Water and sports
Wait 2–3 weeks for swimming, hot tubs and the ocean. Contact sports need Dr. Khanna's clearance.
Call the surgical team right away for increasing pain, sudden vision loss, marked redness or discharge.
Benefits and risks
The honest version
Why people consider SMILE Pro
- No LASIK flap; the cornea is entered through a small incision
- Fast lenticule creation on the VISUMAX 800
- Many suitable patients see well soon after treatment
- Less dependence on glasses or contact lenses
- Affects corneal nerves differently from LASIK, though dry eye can still happen
What no one can promise
No refractive surgery is risk-free. Possible effects include temporary blur, dryness, light sensitivity, glare, halos, under- or over-correction, regression, inflammation, infection, and the possible need for glasses, contacts or more treatment.
We can promise a careful evaluation and a clear recommendation. We cannot promise perfect vision, zero risk or the same recovery for everyone.
Video
Watch: a patient’s SMILE experience
Your surgeon
The technology is advanced. The judgment is personal.
Rajesh Khanna, MD is a UCLA clinical instructor with 25+ years in practice and 25,000+ vision procedures. He has performed SMILE since 2020.
At your VIP consult, Dr. Khanna decides whether surgery is the right choice, which procedure fits your eyes, and how to manage the result. The aim is the safest path to the vision that matters in your life, not the newest procedure for everyone.
About Dr. KhannaCost and financing
What SMILE Pro costs
$150 per eye per month for 24 months
Your first step is a VIP consult with Dr. Khanna. Regular SMILE is $135 per eye per month for 24 months.
We have dropped, and will continue to drop, HMO and optical (vision) insurance plans. For questions about a specific plan, call (310) 482-1240.
Financing optionsNot a candidate for SMILE Pro?
- LASIK and SuperLASIK: flap-based laser for suitable eyes
- ASA / PRK: flapless surface laser with a slower recovery
- EVO ICL: an implanted lens, no corneal tissue removed
- Glasses or contacts: still a valid choice
Vision questionnaire
Take the 2-minute vision quiz
Four quick questions point you to the options Dr. Khanna will look at first. No name, email or phone needed, and your answers stay on this page.
SMILE Pro questions
Is SMILE Pro the same as LASIK?
No. SMILE Pro removes a thin lenticule of corneal tissue through a small incision. LASIK creates a corneal flap and uses an excimer laser to reshape the tissue beneath it.
Does SMILE Pro create a flap?
No. SMILE Pro does not create a LASIK flap. The lenticule is removed through a small opening.
Is SMILE Pro better than regular SMILE?
It is the same core surgery on a newer ZEISS laser, the VISUMAX 800, with digital centration and alignment aids. That can make treatment faster and smoother, but it does not guarantee a better final result.
How long is the laser step?
ZEISS reports that the VISUMAX 800 creates the lenticule in under 10 seconds for nearsightedness under specified conditions. Your whole visit, including preparation and checks, takes much longer.
Can SMILE Pro correct astigmatism?
Yes, for eligible nearsightedness with astigmatism within the U.S. FDA-approved range, if your measurements allow it.
Can SMILE Pro correct farsightedness in the United States?
No. The current U.S. approval for SMILE covers nearsightedness with or without astigmatism. Dr. Khanna can explain other options for farsightedness.
How much does SMILE Pro cost?
SMILE Pro is $150 per eye per month for 24 months. Your first step is a VIP consult with Dr. Khanna.
Will I never need glasses again?
That cannot be promised. A remaining prescription, presbyopia after 40, cataracts and natural eye changes can all bring back a need for glasses later.
VIP consult
Request your VIP consult
Your first visit is a VIP consult: more time with each patient, and enough time with the surgeon, Dr. Khanna. Candidacy is decided there, and the answer may be a procedure or no surgery at all.
- VIP consult for SMILE Pro, SMILE, LASIK, EVO ICL, PIE, PRK and LASEK
- A surgery consultation, not a full eye exam
- In-office or virtual, as offered
Beverly Hills: Monday and Thursday · Westlake Village: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday · 8 AM–5 PM, last appointment 4 PM. Saturday by arrangement only: please call.
Sources
- ZEISS: U.S. FDA approves the VISUMAX 800 with SMILE pro software (01/11/2024)
- U.S. FDA PMA P150040/S003: SMILE indication for myopia with astigmatism, age 22+ (10/04/2018)
Medically reviewed by Rajesh Khanna, MD (review pending before launch). This page is educational and does not replace an exam. Eligibility, risks, benefits, alternatives and recovery are reviewed with your surgeon. Results vary.