Latest Laser Eye Surgery Technology 2020
                     Latest Laser Eye Surgery Technology 2020
As we all know that technology is getting better with the time, and this is the year of the world’s
first robot Olympics. In fact, we have rounded up with the first real-life robots that will make
you think the future is here already. A time when you can go to the store and easily buy a robot
to clean your house, the cars that will drive themselves and your home computer will have the
processing power of a human brain. 
But  what  does  it  have in  innovation for  Laser  Eye Surgery  that  is  shaking up the health
industry?
Laser eye surgery has been around for more than 25 years and since after the first laser eye
treatment i.e. PRK in the 1980s, an innovation has been brought every year. The first and most
common practice to make an impact was LASIK, or "laser-assisted in situ keratomileuses". LASIK
is a more comfortable, safer, and better treatment option than PRK and LASEK, as it involves
the flaps to be cut-out by the laser on each eye, and the shape of the cornea is adjusted in
order to “correct” your vision.
Then  after  came the  femtosecond  laser  and  wavefront,  both  these  new  technologies
transformed LASIK into what it is today.
And more recently another technology i.e. Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) hit the
scene,  which  has  made  the  corrective  eye  surgery  procedure shorter,  safer,  and  more
accessible to people with easy prescriptions.
3rd Generation: SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) Eye Surgery
This laser vision correction procedure is the most advanced FDA approved to date. Since 2012,
SMILE has been in practice worldwide and was approved for extensive use in the United States
in 2016.
 One-Step-Laser Procedure
The main difference between SMILE and other laser technologies is it is a one-laser procedure.
Unlike  PRK  and  LASIK,  an  excimer  laser  is  not  used  during  a  SMILE  procedure.  Instead,  a
femtosecond laser will be used by your surgeon to cut a tiny incision in the cornea and use it to
remove a small piece of corneal tissue (called a lenticule).  This reshapes the cornea and helps
improve vision.
 Less Invasive Surgery
As compared to LASIK, SMILE is a less invasive laser eye surgery. The PRK procedure creates an
8mm  diameter  surface  removal  and  the  LASIK  procedure creates  a  flap  of  20mm  in
circumference.  Whereas  SMILE  creates  only  a  3mm corneal  key-hole  incision  which  makes
fewer disturbances to corneal nerves during surgery and hence more corneal stability post-
surgery.
 Quiet, Neutral, and Blade-Free
The excimer laser is used to reshape the cornea during both LASIK and PRK surgery and this
laser makes a sound and creates a noticeable odor. Whereas during SMILE, the procedure is
quiet and neutral as the excimer laser is not used in this.
 No Flap-Related Complications
Unlike LASIK, there is no need to create a flap during the SMILE procedure and hence no risk of
flap-related complications after surgery.
 Safe and Accurate Visual Recovery
Clinical trials for SMILE have found it to as safe and accurate as LASIK and  recommended to
patients having thin corneas. It combines the safety of traditional vision correction techniques
with  potentially  greater  comfort,  precision  and  is  mostly  used  for correcting  myopia
(nearsightedness). 
Which Procedure is Right for Me?
At last, only a complete eye exam and consultation by an experienced surgeon can find out
which procedure is the best for you. To know if SMILE, LASIK or PRK is the best option for you,
call or schedule an appointment online today!