How SMILE Pro works, step by step

SMILE Pro is a flap-free, single-laser procedure

SMILE stands for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction. Instead of lifting a corneal flap the way flap-based LASIK does, a femtosecond laser works entirely within the cornea to define a lenticule — a precisely shaped layer of tissue. The surgeon removes that lenticule through a small incision at the edge, and the change in corneal shape corrects the way light focuses on your retina.

SMILE Pro is the current-generation SMILE workflow performed on the ZEISS VISUMAX 800. It is designed to treat myopia (short-sightedness) and myopic astigmatism in suitable patients. It is not the same procedure as LASIK, and it does not use a separate excimer laser to ablate the surface.

The steps on the day of surgery

• Numbing drops are placed in the eye — the procedure is done with topical anaesthesia, so you stay awake and comfortable.
• The eye is gently positioned under the ZEISS VISUMAX 800. Alignment features such as CentraLign and OcuLign are designed to help centre the treatment and account for eye rotation for astigmatism.
• The femtosecond laser creates the lenticule inside the cornea. This laser step itself takes only seconds per eye — but it is one part of your overall time in the laser suite, not the whole appointment.
• The surgeon separates and removes the lenticule through the small incision.
• A protective phase begins immediately; most people rest briefly and then go home the same day. No stitches are needed for the small incision.

Why 'flap-free' matters

Because SMILE Pro does not create a corneal flap, there is no flap that could be displaced later — a reason many people with active lifestyles, contact-sport interests or dust-exposed work discuss it with their surgeon. The small incision is also thought to preserve more of the corneal surface nerves, which is one reason SMILE-type procedures are often discussed in the context of dry-eye tendency. Whether SMILE Pro is right for you depends on a full eye assessment.