We commonly encounter a lot of questions asked by interested parties about SMILE. So we try to make it easy for you to do some research about the surgery and have compiled a FAQ list for you. What are my reasons for considering SMILE Surgery?There are many types of vision correction surgery. Your surgeon will need to understand why you wish to have corrective surgery. Is it for Career reasons Lifestyle reasons (sports, leisure activities, etc) Cosmetic reasons Reduce dependence on glasses and / or contact lenses Based on the reasons given, your surgeon will be in better position to recommend you the appropriate type of vision correction surgery. Should I be worried about SMILE Surgery complications?With advancing technology, sophisticated surgical skill and optimal patient selection today, the safety and effectiveness of vision correction surgery continues to improve. Laser eye surgery has successfully treated millions of patients and has high patient satisfaction rates. However, as with any surgery, it has potential complications. It is important for you to weigh the benefits and risks before choosing to go ahead with surgery. What are the things I should note before SMILE Surgery?You will be advised on the following before you come in for your pre-assessment for suitability and before the actual day of the surgery. Do not wear soft contact lenses 7 days before your first pre assessment and before surgery. Do not wear hard contact lenses (RGPs) 14 days before your first pre assessment and before surgery. Do not apply any eye makeup 2 days before surgery. Do not apply any perfume on the day of surgery. Do not apply any products on your eyes or face on the day of surgery. Bring your sunglasses on the day of surgery as you may experience glare after surgery. You do not need to fast before the surgery, there is no food restriction. Do not drive on the day of surgery. Expect to stay for about 2 hours, even though the procedure will only take about 30 minutes. What to expect after SMILE Surgery?Some patients may encounter blurry vision for the first few weeks and may need glasses for reading until their vision stablises. Your eyes may feel sensitive and this can be reduced with the prescription eyes drops and medication. You should rest at home after surgery, observe good hygiene and adhere to the following. For one week: NO exercise which gets sweat in your eyes (you can use a sweat band and exercise in a clean indoor gym environment) NO water & soap in contact with your eyes NO makeup and eye products DO NOT rub or scratch your eyes Wear sunglasses outdoor Eye shields to be worn sleeping/nap time Eye drops to be instilled regularly as instructed It is advisable to avoid swimming for 1 month and use UV Eye protection for a year. Any side effects and/or complications of SMILE Surgery?SMILE Surgery has a very good safety profile and a very high success rate. However, like any other surgery, there are potential side effects that one should be aware of and must be able to accept a small amount of risk. Proper testing before the procedure can identify patients who are at a higher risk of long-term complications. There maybe some visual aberrations such as – glare, halos, starbursts, and problems with low-light or night vision, and dryness of the eyes. These are the more common side effects of SMILE. Most patients experience some of these symptoms immediately after the surgery but they improve as they recover, so most require no treatment. Dry eyes This is fairly common and almost all patients experience some degree of dry and gritty feeling during the recovering period. This can be eased with the frequent use of lubricating eye drops. Night Vision Problems During the first few weeks or months, one might experience halos, glare and starbursts at night. This condition usually improves with time. Under-correction, over-correction, or astigmatism In some cases, corrective eyewear or contact lenses may still be required for the few activities which are more visually demanding. This can be due to the way an individual’s eye responds to the laser, or can be caused by variance in the way each eye heals after surgery. An enhancement LASIK or PRK procedure may be done in such cases. Read more on Our Technologies
