LASIK vs SMILE: What’s the Right Correct Vision for You?

Dr.Prashaant Chaudhry, 2 mins read

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you have probably thought about laser eye surgery at some point. Maybe it's when your glasses fog up on a rainy day, or when contact lenses make your eyes dry and tired. You are not alone, millions of people are now choosing to go glasses-free. 

But when it comes to eye surgery, one often gets confused, whether he should choose LASIK or SMILE? Both are modern, safe, and effective. But how do you decide which one is right for you? In this blog, you will get to know about both the procedures.

What Is LASIK?

LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is one of the most popular laser eye surgeries. It’s been around for more than two decades and has helped millions of people get rid of glasses.

Mechanism: A small flap is created on the front surface of your eye (the cornea). A laser reshapes the cornea underneath the flap to correct your vision. Then the flap is gently placed back.

Pros:

• Quick recovery 
• High success rate
• Painless and fast (usually under 10 minutes per eye)
• Suitable for a wide range of vision problems like myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism

Cons:

• The flap can be disturbed with trauma or injury
• Not ideal for very dry eyes or thin corneas
• May cause light sensitivity or halos at night for some patients

What Is a SMILE?

SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a newer type of laser eye surgery. Unlike LASIK, SMILE does not involve creating a flap.

Mechanism:

A laser creates a thin disc-shaped piece of tissue (called a lenticule) inside the cornea. This lenticule is removed through a tiny incision, which changes the shape of the cornea and corrects your vision.