HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE AFTER SMILE TO SEE?
Before we get into the question of how much time it will generally take before the vision is appropriately restored, let’s know a little more about SMILE eye surgery.
What is SMILE eye surgery?
SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a valuable alternative to LASIK surgery to correct nearsightedness. SMILE eye surgery is similar to that LASIK eye surgery.
In the SMILE eye surgery procedure, the doctor uses a laser to create a small, lens-shaped tissue (lenticule) within the eye cornea. A small arc-shaped incision is made on the cornea’s surface with the same laser. The doctor then takes the lenticule out through this incision and discards it.
With the lenticule discarded, the shape of the cornea is then altered to correct nearsightedness. The corneal incision gets healed within a few days without stitches, and sharper vision occurred spontaneously.
SMILE eye surgery can correct up to -10.00 diopters (D) of nearsightedness.
What is the eligibility for SMILE eye surgery?
Certain people should not consider getting SMILE eye surgery if they are not-
- Younger than 18 years old
- Pregnant or nursing
- Taking prescription drugs
- Vision is not stable
- Not in good general health
- Have dry eye syndrome
Advantages of SMILE
Research shows SMILE provides virtually the same visual sharp vision as LASIK for correcting nearsightedness without creating a LASIK-style corneal flap.
There may be less risk of any dry eye symptoms after SMILE.
SMILE does not require a sizeable corneal flap like LASIK, so fewer corneal nerves are affected by the procedure.
The minimal SMILE incision may also enable the cornea to maintain, focus and restore more of its strength and resistance to any traumatic injuries after the treatment.
Disadvantages of SMILE
SMILE can only correct nearsightedness, but treatments like LASIK and PRK can also correct farsightedness and astigmatism.
Eye surgery treatments like LASIK and PRK can even treat higher-order aberrations (HOAs) affecting night vision, whereas SMILE cannot. SMILE might increase HOAs to some degree.
How efficient is the SMILE eye surgery?
A significant amount of research – more than 600 clinical studies – support the procedure as a safe and effective vision correction option for those good candidates. Some of the recent and updated data behind SMILE eye surgery include:
- Six months after SMILE eye surgery, 99% of eyes achieved a UCVA of 20/40 or better.
- At six months, 84% of eyes had a UCVA of 20/20 or better.
And now we shall come to the question that we have had on hold-
How long after SMILE eye surgery can you see clearly?
After SMILE eye surgery, patients typically see better almost immediately, with vision improvement in clarity over 7-10 days as the healing continues. Nearly all SMILE candidates are comfortable and able to drive and return to work one day after surgery.
Conclusion
To find out if SMILE eye surgery may be a valuable treatment option for you or not, ask your doctor if you might be a good candidate. Also, it would be best if you were sure to mention any pre-existing medical conditions and any prescribed medications you are taking.
