With digital screens dominating our daily routines, maintaining perfect eyesight is crucial. For many, the constant reliance on glasses or contact lenses to manage myopia (nearsightedness) and astigmatism can be a significant hurdle to an active and carefree lifestyle. SMILE Pro, the latest evolution in eye surgery offers a faster, safer, and more precise way to restore your sight.
Key Takeaway
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SMILE Pro (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction Pro) represents the pinnacle of refractive eye surgery technology developed by ZEISS, Germany. It is a flapless, bladeless, and minimally invasive procedure designed to correct myopia and astigmatism with unprecedented speed.
Utilizing the state-of-the-art VisuMax 800 femtosecond laser, the procedure involves creating a tiny, lens-shaped piece of tissue called a "lenticule" within the cornea. This lenticule is then removed through a microscopic incision of only 2-4 millimeters, effectively reshaping the cornea to allow light to focus perfectly on the retina.
Choosing SMILE Pro over other forms of vision correction comes with several distinct advantages that cater to the needs of modern patients:
Understanding the landscape of refractive surgery is essential for making an informed decision about your vision. Here is how SMILE Pro compares to its predecessors:
Undergoing SMILE Pro at Samitivej Chinatown is a streamlined and professional experience.
Pre-SMILE Pro Preparation
Before the surgery, a comprehensive eye evaluation is required, which typically takes about 3 hours. This includes measuring corneal thickness, curvature, and intraocular pressure.
During the Procedure
The actual surgery takes approximately 30 minutes for both eyes, though the laser itself is only active for a few seconds.
Proper SMILE Pro aftercare is vital for a smooth recovery and to help support the best possible vision outcome. Patients should carefully follow their ophthalmologist’s instructions during the recovery period.
SMILE Pro is an excellent option for a wide range of individuals looking to correct myopia and astigmatism. Ideal candidates generally include:
While SMILE Pro is highly advanced, it is not suitable for everyone. You may be advised to seek alternative treatments like lasik, PRK, or lens implants if you:
ReLEx SMILE and SMILE Pro have shown high success rates in improving visual acuity. In the US FDA clinical trial of SMILE for myopia (from -1.00 to -10.00 D), 99.7% of eyes reached 20/40 vision or better and 88% reached 20/20 or better at six months. A later FDA study of SMILE for myopia with astigmatism reported 98.6% and 84.2%. Early studies of SMILE Pro show similar results: in one series of 258 eyes, 94% reached 20/20 one month after surgery, although the rate was lower (81%) in high myopia
These results indicate that both procedures can provide effective vision correction for suitable patients. However, outcomes can vary depending on factors such as the degree of refractive error, corneal condition, overall eye health, and individual healing response. A comprehensive eye examination is therefore essential to determine suitability and expected results.
Many patients notice clearer vision within 24 to 48 hours, although mild blurriness or haziness may remain during the first days. Vision usually keeps sharpening over the following weeks, and for some patients, particularly those with higher prescriptions, it can take 1 to 3 months to fully stabilize.
Recovery time can vary depending on factors such as the patient’s initial refractive error, corneal condition, healing response, and how closely post-operative instructions are followed. Using prescribed eye drops, keeping water out of the eyes, and attending follow-up appointments can help support a smooth recovery.
SMILE Pro, ReLEx SMILE, Femto LASIK, and PRK are widely performed and generally considered safe for correcting refractive errors when performed on suitable patients. SMILE received US FDA approval in 2016, and SMILE Pro with the VISUMAX 800 followed in 2024. Because SMILE Pro and ReLEx SMILE do not create a corneal flap, they avoid flap-related complications. Like every procedure, however, they carry some risks, such as dry eye, glare or halos, infection, and occasionally the need for an enhancement if vision regresses.
However, safety also depends on factors such as the patient’s corneal thickness, eye health, refractive error, medical history, and whether the procedure is appropriate for their condition. A comprehensive eye examination is therefore essential before surgery.
At Samitivej Chinatown, we are committed to providing the highest standard of eye surgery to help you achieve the life you’ve always imagined, free from the constraints of glasses. With our team of experts who have handled over 12,000 to 20,000 successful cases, you can trust that your vision is in the best hands.
Our SMILE Pro technology ensures that your journey to clear sight is faster, safer, and more comfortable than ever before. Don't let blurry vision hold you back. Experience the miracle of SMILE Pro today.
The best place to receive SMILE Pro is a certified medical facility that combines advanced technology with highly experienced specialists. Samitivej Chinatown offers the latest MEL90 and VisuMax 800 laser technology and an expert ophthalmology team with a proven track record of thousands of successful procedures.
Currently, SMILE Pro is specifically designed to correct myopia and astigmatism. It is not used to treat age-related presbyopia or congenital hyperopia. However, patients with these conditions can consult our specialists for alternative treatments such as Presby-LASIK or intraocular lens (IOL) implants.
SMILE Pro is typically suitable for correcting myopia (nearsightedness) ranging from -1.00 D to -10.00 D and astigmatism up to -5.00 D. Suitability always depends on a thorough pre-operative evaluation of your corneal thickness and overall eye health.
SMILE Pro permanently reshapes the cornea, so the correction is long-lasting. However, it does not stop the eyes from changing over time. Presbyopia usually appears from the 40s, cataracts can develop later in life, and in some patients the prescription may drift slightly or need an enhancement. Having a stable prescription for at least one year before surgery helps support a lasting result.
Conditions such as presbyopia or other age-related changes can still affect eyesight later in life, even after successful SMILE Pro treatment.
SMILE Pro is generally not painful because anesthetic eye drops are applied before the procedure to numb the eyes.
Patients may feel mild pressure during the laser step, and the eyes can feel gritty, watery, or sensitive to light for the first several hours afterward. Some dryness or sensitivity may continue for a few days.
Mild blurry or hazy vision immediately after SMILE Pro is common and is part of normal healing. It is mainly caused by slight swelling of the cornea where the lenticule was removed and by an unsettled tear film, and both settle as the eye heals.
Vision commonly begins to improve within 24 hours and continues to stabilize over the following weeks. Recovery speed can vary depending on the patient’s prescription, eye condition, and individual healing response.
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