SMILE Surgery: FAQs and What to Expect
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SMILE can be a life changing procedure for patients who have been told they don’t qualify for LASIK. If you don’t qualify for LASIK surgery, you may be a SMILE candidate. Keep reading to learn more about SMILE and how it can change your vision!
What is SMILE?
Wang Vision was the first in the state of Tennessee to perform SMILE surgery. SMILE is a newly-developed laser surgery procedure. Similar to LASIK, SMILE is a bladeless, refractive eye procedure that alters the cornea’s shape to improve vision. SMILE is less invasive than LASIK as it requires a smaller incision and no flap. This produces less postoperative complications because the incision is roughly 4 to 6 millimeters versus around 20 millimeters with LASIK.
What are the benefits of SMILE?
- Typically less invasive than LASIK
- Improved vision
- Quick and effective treatment, usually lasting around 10 to 15 minutes
- Comfortable treatments with the use of numbing drops
- Return to normal daily life after one to two days
Who is a SMILE candidate?
- Patients 21 years of age or older
- Have myopia between -1.00 and -10.00 diopters
- Have mild to moderate astigmatism up to 3.00 diopters
- Patient is in good overall health
- Possess healthy corneas
- Have realistic expectations about the outcome of SMILE surgery
To determine if you are a candidate, call our office to schedule a consultation at 615-321-8881.
How long is SMILE recovery?
Following your SMILE procedure, you will need to have someone take you home. You will be given eye drops to administer for a period of time after surgery. Blurry vision should fade after a few days as your eyes heal. You should be able to return to your daily tasks after one to two days of recovery.
Is SMILE surgery painful?
Patients will be awake during SMILE surgery. Numbing eye drops will be administered, so that the patient will not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
To learn more about your vision options, attend our ute. Attend our FREE Online Vision Seminar Tuesdays at 6:45 p.m. CST.