Overview
LASIK (Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis) and SMILE eye surgeries are the two advanced technologies in the field of eye surgery. These techniques are used to treat various medical conditions related to the eyes. LASIK surgery is one of the popular laser-guided technology used to reshape the cornea. This surgery generally works for all types of refractive errors. In contrast, SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction) is an advanced version with minimum side effects and complications. SMILE is a less invasive procedure as compared to LASIK. They need almost similar recovery time after the completion of the procedure. Also, the cost of treatment for both procedures is in a similar range. Both the methods have some similarities and some differences.

What Are The Difference Between Smile And Lasik Surgery?
Some of the differences between these two surgical procedures are:-

LASIK eye surgery can manage almost all types of refractive errors (a condition in which the light fails to fall on the retina and, as a result, the image is not formed). SMILE is mainly employed to treat myopia either with or without astigmatism.
The risk of scars after the procedure is higher in LASIK than in SMILE.
Patients are more satisfied with the result of smile surgery
LASIK eye surgery cannot be done in a person whose cornea is thin, but SMILE eye surgery can be done in persons having thin cornea.
LASIK is an older technique, so several doctors are expertized in it. In contrast, SMILE is a newer method. That is why a limited number of surgeons are expertized in it.
In LASIK surgery, there is a requirement for a flap to be cut out. It is done so that the scissor can reach the deeper part of the eyes, whereas the SMILE uses a single laser known as femtosecond laser for reshaping the cornea.

What Are The Similarities Between Smile And Lasik Eye Surgery?
Some of the similarities between these two surgical procedures are:-

Both surgeries are performed by a qualified opthalmologist (eye surgeon).
The eligibility criteria of a person for both surgeries are also the same.
Both procedures are performed under the influence of local anaesthesia.
The rest time in both surgeries is of 1 day.
Many of the side effects in both surgeries are the same, like halos, blurry vision, and glares.
The post-operative care is also the same in both procedures.

Who Are The Best Patients To Undergo Smile Eye Surgery?
SMILE eye surgery can be done for patients with nearsightedness (myopia) and astigmatism or a combination of both. The best candidate for smile eye surgery is the one having these:-

A severe case of nearsightedness: The SMILE eye surgery can be used to treat patients having a myopic condition between 1.00D to 10.00D.
If a person has a higher tendency to dry eyes: Since SMILE is a minimally invasive procedure, it involves minimal invasion of the cornea. That is why the patients undergoing this surgery will experience a minor sensation of dry eyes.
The exposure time in SMILE surgery is less than LASIK, so it can be preferred by the person expecting less exposure time.

What Are The Benefits Related To Smile Eye Surgery?
Benefits of SMILE eye surgery.

SMILE surgery is the most advanced eye surgery available.
SMILE laser vision correction method is the least invasive method for treating vision problems.
It is safe to go through this surgery.
Patients that go through SMILE eye surgery feel very little to no pain.
There are significantly fewer side effects of SMILE surgery.

How To Choose Which Surgery Is Right For You?
You can choose the surgery as per the requirements of the eyes.
Always discuss with your surgeon about a better surgery option. The doctor may guide you by examining your medical history.
If you are far-sighted, then SMILE is not a good option.
If you have dry eyes or have a history of dry eyes, then SMILE is better. It is because the chances of dry eyes after LASIK surgery are higher.

Conclusion
Both SMILE and LASIK procedures are proven and patented procedures. They are used to treat different medical problems related to the eyes. Both the procedures are used to treat the refractive errors associated with the eyes. Both have some differences and some similarities. Also, the results of the two procedures are similar and long-lasting. You can choose any surgery depending on your comfort, but always take advice from your doctor before opting for the procedure.

Condition in which a person can see nearby objects clearly but far objects appear blurry is known as Near-sightedness. It is also known as Myopia.The rays refracted by the eye should be focused on the retina to see the image. In this disorder, the eye focuses the rays incorrectly in the front of the retina instead of on the retina. There are no natural remedies to treat near-sightedness. An eye doctor can diagnose near-sightedness and will suggest corrective measures during consultation.There are various techniques to use by an eye specialist to treat near-sightedness. One such effective technique is SMILE.

Know About Smile Lasik Eye Surgery
SMILE, also known as “Small incision lenticule extraction”, is the refractive eye process. It is an efficient and popular technique to treat refractive error.It is currently mainly used in treating near-sightedness. It is a quicker process with a high success rate.

It makes vision correction possible in people who were not suitable candidates for vision correction surgery. It is almost the same as LASIK. The only difference is a small incision on the cornea is created to reshape it instead of the corneal flap.

How Will My Doctor Perform Smile Lasik Eye Surgery?
SMILE is performed by an experienced eye specialist or eye surgeon only. Firstly, to ensure a painless process, the surgeon will administer the an aesthetic eye drops in the eye. It is to numb the eyes. Then the eyelids forceps are placed on the eyes to prevent it from blinking.

After this, using the femtosecond laser, a tiny lens-shaped bit of tissue (called lenticular) is created by the eye surgeon within the cornea.Using the same laser, the surgeon makes a small arc-shaped incision on the cornea. Then the eye surgeon removes the lenticule through the incision made. It is later discarded. Once the lenticule is removed, it alters the shape of the cornea and focuses the light correctly on the retina.

The corneal incision heals automatically after some week without any stitches on the cornea. After the completion of surgery, the doctor will prescribe you the eye drops to administer and will give you instructions to be followed and will call back after a day to check for regular check-ups

Initially, SMILE took around 2 minutes per eye to perform. Currently, it takes about 24 seconds to complete the process. With high-quality cuts, the process will come down to 10 seconds in the coming future. It can correct a high degree of near-sightedness.

Am I A Suitable Candidate For Smile Lasik Eye Surgery?
For undergoing a SMILE eye surgery, you should be

Above 22 years of age

Should have stable vision (no change in prescription in over a 3 months)

It can be used to treat near-sightedness in the range of 1-10 dioptres and astigmatism up to 3 dioptres

Should not be pregnant and nursing

Should not be suffering from autoimmune diseases such as HIV, AIDS, Rheumatoid arthritis

Should not have diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension as it delays post healing

Should have a healthy cornea, free from scarring or infection

How Smile Lasik Eye Surgery Advantageous Over Lasik Eye Surgery?

SMILE is a more demanding process largely dependent on the surgeon’s surgical skills and laser handing technique. SMILE involves better patients’ comfort and represents the beginning of the new era in Ophthalmology.

LASIK surgery involves creating a small flap on the surface of the cornea. However, no such flap is created in SMILE. That’s the reason SMILE is also known as “Flapless laser eye surgery”.

SMILE is safer and more stable than LASIK. In addition, it preserves Corneal Biomechanics (the anterior part of cornea which is strongest), which is not the case in LASIK.

Earlier rehabilitation with SMILE. People operated with Lasik can go for activities like swimming, sports, rubbing eyes within a few days. However, these activities can only be performed for about a month in the case of LASIK.
The risk of corneal ectasia is reduced in SMILE in comparison to LASIK. On the other hand, corneal ectasia is a significant disadvantage of LASIK.

LASIK treated eyes get weaker as it involves the creation of the corneal flap. It does not happen with SMILE.

SMILE is mainly used in treating near-sightedness and astigmatism. While still in its early stages, SMILE has shown an excellent success rate. The success rate of SMILE primarily depends on the less recovery time, no flap complications, improved vision, improved corneal bio mechanics, and faster recovery from post-operative dry eyes, infection, and quicker rehabilitation.

LASIK Eye Surgery In Delhi
Before you opt for LASIK, the most important thing is to be confident in the procedure. You should be comfortable with your surgeon. Get as much information as possible beforehand, as preparing for surgery can be quite overwhelming.

Here is the list of questions you should ask your surgeon while preparing for surgery during the consultation. You should not hesitate to ask other questions during the consultation. When you feel confident, comfortable, and ready to schedule for surgery, you will know you have found the right surgeon and place to get your LASIK

Am I A Perfect Candidate For Lasik Surgery?
Before undergoing LASIK, it is essential to evaluate if you can undergo LASIK surgery. LASIK is not for everyone. Your surgeon should be honest and open about that. Your LASIK surgeon will perform some tests and determine whether you are eligible for LASIK or not. Several conditions are considered while deciding eligibility, like having enough corneal thickness, not being pregnant, nursing, and not having corneal disease, autoimmune diseases, or severe dry eyes.

What Is The Experience And Prior Success Rates Of The Doctor Performing My Surgery?
You should be confident about the surgeon performing LASIK. LASIK centres have different surgeons to perform the surgery. While each surgeon has almost the similar qualifications they should achieve to perform LASIK, each surgeon’s experience varies. Therefore, you should check for the surgeon’s qualification, experience, training, and record track before committing to the treatment.

Does Lasik Provide Me Permanent Clear Vision?
LASIK permanently changes the corneal shape, which allows the better focus of the light on the retina. It may last permanently in some person till lifetime, whereas in some, it may last only some years and may need additional treatment down the line. Therefore, the duration varies from patient to patient. As with age, with other body parts, our eyes age too. As you get older, the symptoms may worsen as it does not prevent age-related eyesight degeneration.

What To Expect During The Surgery?
You should have a detailed overview and understanding of the LASIK procedure. Discuss the entire process from start to finish with your surgeon. Your surgeon will explain:

Step by step, each process
The time required for completing the process
Results you can expect
The time needed for healing after the surgery
Advantages and side effects
Precautions to be taken
What Are The Risks Of Lasik Surgery?
All surgeries have some risks associated with them. However, the risks associated with LASIK are generally mild which are:

Blurry and Hazy vision
Dry eyes
Infection in the eyes
They are treatable, and your surgeon will prescribe the eye drops for them.

The significant risk associated with LASIK is flap complications: flap wrinkling, flap breaking, displacing from its position, or debris trapped under the flap.

How Much Is The Cost Of Lasik Surgery?
The cost of LASIK is different at each LASIK centre. It is because the cost of LASIK depends on the centre where you are getting the treatment and the visual refractive correction needed for an eye.

Discuss the entire cost of the procedure with your surgeon. There should not be any extra hidden costs or fees for the surgeon, post-operative measures, or prescriptions.

How Much Time It Takes To Complete Lasik Surgery?
The actual surgery will take less than 15 minutes to complete. However, the laser is not used for more than 60 seconds on the eye.

Would I Feel Any Pain During The Lasik Surgery?
No, the surgeon uses the numbness drops in your eyes when performing the surgery. So there will be no pain at the time of surgery.

You may experience mild pain after completion of surgery once the numbness effects subside. The doctor will prescribe some medication and drops for pain.

How Would My Vision Changes After Lasik Surgery?
An experienced eye surgeon performs the surgery. It has an almost 95% of patient satisfaction rate. The safety and efficacy of this technique is high and many people don’t consider the second LASIK.

How Much Time Will It Take To Heal My Eyes After Lasik Surgery?
You will have a blurry or hazy vision for 4-5 hours and will see the results within the first 24 hours from the surgery. In weeks you will see significant results. You will have a stable vision in 3-4 months. The irritation and discomfort that you feel after the surgery may subside after few hours.