SMILE is a laser eye surgery success story that already looks back on 10 years. First performed on a human eye in 2007 by Walter Sekundo with a VisuMax® femtosecond laser from ZEISS, it became commercially available in 2011 with the launch of ReLEx® SMILE from ZEISS. Today over 1,300 surgeons worldwide in over 65 countries have already performed over 1 million SMILE treatments. As an FDA approved procedure, it offers clinics an additional Laser Vision Correction option with great prospects to enhance their services portfolio.

Small incision lenticule extraction, better known as SMILE, is the first minimally invasive Laser Vision Correction procedure. During SMILE eye surgery, a lenticule is created inside the intact cornea using the ZEISS VisuMax femtosecond laser and extracted through a small incision. The lenticule is removed, thereby achieving the desired vision correction.

SMILE offers a variety of clinical advantages, as studies have shown. The incidence of transient dry eye syndrome following surgery is lower. As a minimally invasive approach, it offers the potential for more biomechanical stability of the cornea. Also, wound healing has been shown to be faster. Patients describe the treatment experience as very gentle and are generally highly satisfied with the efficacy and results.