Introduction- How much Cornea is Removed in Smile Pro Eye Surgery
In a minimally invasive “Blade-free Vision Correction treatment,” SMILE removes a thin corneal lenticule rather than a thin corneal flap by making a tiny incision between 2 and 4 millimeters long. SMILE removes less tissue than other procedures, independent of the amount of myopia correction. So, How Much Cornea Is Removed in Smile Pro Eye Surgery? Let’s check!
A small lens (lenticule) from the central corneal layer is removed during the SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) surgery. Four tiny incisions are made on the cornea’s surface to retrieve the lenticule using a femtosecond laser. Patients with SMILE usually recover within a few days.
The cornea is sculpted to rectify the refractive (or focusing) problems in your eyesight, just like with LASIK.
SMILE Eye Surgery: What Is It Exactly?
The goal of SMILE (short incision lenticule extraction), a laser eye procedure, is to improve the patient’s overall vision by treating astigmatism and nearsightedness (frequently in more severe degrees). SMILE is the most recently created standard laser eye surgery to be seriously considered for general use. Even though it is still in its infancy, as of June 2020, SMILE has successfully treated refractive problems in over three million eyes.
A tiny, lens-shaped section of corneal tissue called a lenticule will be defined and established as an outline using pulses produced by a Visumax femtosecond laser during SMILE refractive surgery. The surgeon can now access the lenticule using a keyhole incision made with the femtosecond laser, often no longer than 3.8 millimeters. The patient’s vision is corrected or enhanced due to this procedure, which reshapes the cornea.
How Much Cornea is Removed in Smile Pro Eye Surgery?
According to a study published in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the average amount of corneal tissue removed during SMILE eye surgery is approximately 23 microns. To put this into perspective, the average thickness of the cornea is about 550 microns. This means that only a small fraction of the cornea is removed during the procedure.
One of the main advantages of SMILE eye surgery is that it preserves more of the cornea’s structural integrity than other forms of laser eye surgery. This is because SMILE only requires a small incision, which means there is less risk of complications such as corneal ectasia, where the cornea becomes weakened and bulges outwards.
How does LASIK contrast with SMILE laser eye surgery?
SMILE can ONLY treat uncomplicated nearsightedness (myopia), a significant distinction between it and LASIK surgery. Farsightedness, severe astigmatism, severe nearsightedness, or any other vision problems referred to as Higher-Order Aberrations cannot be corrected with SMILE. These can only be fixed with more sophisticated LASIK laser vision correction technology.
An astonishingly quick recovery period of about two to four weeks is needed for small incision lenticule extraction. This minimally invasive, flapless laser eye procedure allows for complete stabilization of vision.
According to Carl Zeiss Meditec, SMILE has been performed over 3 million times with a high percentage of success and patient satisfaction. Since 2007, it has been used in carefully supervised clinical trials. It has been made accessible for purchase since 2011 and is used in over 70 nations globally. While there is a certain amount of risk involved with every surgical operation, SMILE has consistently shown to be a reliable and secure refractive eye surgery choice. So yes, it is safe!
How to use the SMILE procedure?
Even though you won’t spend much time in the operating room, you’ll need to work with your ophthalmologist to arrange the procedure and comprehend what happens when it’s finished.
Preparation:
Diagnosing by an ophthalmologist is the first step to being ready for SMILE. As a result, you can talk to your eye doctor about your worries and expectations. Learn what to anticipate regarding recovery durations, dangers, and other aspects.
The process is as follows:
SMILE requires 10 to 15 minutes for each eye. Your surgeon will use eye drops to numb it before programming the laser with the map of your eye. The guided laser also has safety features to manage any twitching you may have during surgery. Your eyelids will be pulled back with a special holder so you do not blink. Once you are in position, a suction ring will be applied to your cornea, stopping your eye from moving. Your cornea’s lenticule will be sculpted by the laser as it fires. This shape will then be taken out of your lens by your surgeon.
What are the benefits of SMILE Pro?
Because the corneal surface remains unaffected, this method better preserves the cornea’s biomechanical stability and strength than alternatives. Due to the total laser intensity being up to 10 times lower than that of an excimer laser, inflammation is decreased to a very small degree.
Due to the absence of a flap, the likelihood of dry eyes is greatly reduced. No surgical cutting tools are used during the treatment, nor is any equipment changed. You can begin to enjoy your new visual feeling the day following the treatment. It is less invasive, requires little intervention, and requires less aftercare.
Who Makes a Good Candidate for the SMILE Eye Procedure?
The most qualified applicants often meet the two requirements listed below for this procedure:
More severe nearsightedness:
For patients with myopia ranging from -1.00D to -10.00D, the SMILE treatment can correct their vision.
An issue with or tendency for dry eyes:
The patient will probably have fewer dry eye symptoms because there isn’t much of an incision in the cornea.
For patients with either of these issues, SMILE presents a compelling alternative to consider. It shortens the patient’s exposure time during the treatment while still providing a very accurate vision correction. A stable prescription, normal corneal measures, no prior eye surgeries, and generally healthy eyes are additional factors that make someone a suitable candidate for SMILE.
A patient can get a professional opinion on the optimum method (if any) for vision correction by having a comprehensive eye exam performed by an ophthalmologist. At this stage, evaluating the cornea’s thickness and curvature and the degree of refractive error is important. It is crucial to consider both this data and information specific to the patient to decide whether the SMILE operation is appropriate for them because each refractive laser technique has its advantages and use cases.
