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ophthalmology
SMILE is a refractive laser eye procedure in which a femtosecond laser creates a small lens-shaped piece of corneal tissue (a lenticule) within the intact cornea, which is then extracted through a small peripheral incision typically 2-4mm wide. Because no corneal flap is created, SMILE preserves more of the cornea's anterior biomechanical strength than LASIK. SMILE is approved for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism; hyperopic SMILE has been approved in some markets more recently.
SMILE was developed by Carl Zeiss Meditec and approved by the US FDA in 2016 (for myopia) and 2018 (for astigmatism). The procedure uses a femtosecond laser to create both surfaces of a corneal lenticule in a single step, which is then extracted manually. Compared to LASIK, the smaller incision and absence of a flap means less disruption to corneal nerves, theoretically reducing dry-eye symptoms and preserving more biomechanical strength.
SMILE is typically priced 20-30% above LASIK at the same clinic due to higher equipment cost (proprietary Carl Zeiss femtosecond laser) and longer training requirements for the surgeon. Quoted prices usually cover pre-operative topography and pachymetry, the procedure, and short-term follow-up. Enhancement procedures, when needed, are commonly performed as PRK on top of the SMILE and may carry an additional charge.
Average recovery for SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is 3 days. Individual recovery varies — always follow your surgeon’s specific guidance.
Immediate
First 24–48 hours post-procedure. Monitoring, anaesthesia recovery, initial pain management. Most clinics expect you to remain on-site or nearby.
Early recovery
Wound care, swelling or bruising peaks, restricted activity. Typical window for follow-up visits and drain removal if applicable. Travel is usually not advised.
Intermediate recovery
Gradual return to non-strenuous daily activity. Many international patients fly home during this window. Surgeon may require medical clearance for long-haul travel.
Full recovery
Return to full activity, exercise, and work. Final results may still be settling. Final follow-up with local doctor recommended.
Day 0: procedure completed under topical anaesthesia in approximately 30 seconds per eye of laser time. Patients are advised to rest with eyes closed for several hours.
Days 1-2: visual acuity is functional but blurred; mild foreign-body sensation. Tear film may be unstable. Lubricating drops every 1-2 hours.
Day 3-7: vision improves substantially; most patients return to driving and screen work by day 3-7. Strenuous activity and contact-lens-incompatible environments (swimming pools, hot tubs) should be avoided.
Week 2-4: refractive stabilisation. Most patients achieve their final visual acuity by week 4.
Month 1-3: final stabilisation. Dry-eye symptoms, if any, typically peak around month 1-2 and improve thereafter.
Month 3-12: long-term follow-up. Enhancement (typically via PRK) is considered if a refractive surprise persists at month 3-6.
SMILE is offered at a smaller number of clinics globally than LASIK because of the equipment cost and training requirements. International patients should plan for 3-5 days in country to cover the procedure and a day-1 review. Visual recovery is faster than PRK but slower than LASIK; most patients are functional from day 2-3.
Medical-tourism patients considering SMILE specifically (rather than LASIK) should weigh the biomechanical advantages against the higher cost, the longer learning curve at smaller-volume clinics, and the less-established enhancement pathway. For most refractive errors LASIK and SMILE produce equivalent final visual outcomes.
Bar length shows how many clinics in our registry offer smile (small incision lenticule extraction) in each country. Shading shows the verification status mix. International price range is $2,000–$4,500 USD across all countries; we do not currently hold per-country clinic pricing suitable for side-by-side comparison.
Browse all destinations offering SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction)→
2 clinics in our registry
Verified
Accreditations, corporate registration, and published reviews independently checked against primary sources.
Partially verified
Some fields confirmed from primary sources; others self-reported by the clinic and awaiting verification.
Unverified
Listing is based on public information but has not yet been independently verified against primary sources.
Flagged
Credible concerns identified. Red flags are documented on the clinic page. We never soften or remove warnings.
Ankara, Turkey·Est. 2005·Verified 2y ago
A dedicated ophthalmology hospital in Ankara offering LASIK, PRK, and lens replacement procedures. The hospital uses Wavelight and VisuMax laser platforms. Published pricing includes pre- and post-operative consultations.
Seoul, South Korea·Est. 2008·Verified 2y ago
A dedicated ophthalmology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul specialising in LASIK and SMILE refractive surgery. The clinic uses Carl Zeiss VisuMax and Schwind AMARIS laser platforms. South Korea is one of the world's highest-volume markets for laser eye surgery.
Both procedures use a femtosecond laser to modify corneal tissue. LASIK creates a hinged flap and uses an excimer laser to ablate the underlying stroma. SMILE creates a small lens-shaped piece of tissue (a lenticule) inside the intact cornea using only the femtosecond laser, and the lenticule is extracted through a small 2-4mm incision. Because no flap is created, more of the cornea's biomechanical strength is preserved.
The biomechanical preservation theoretically makes SMILE less prone to ectasia and to long-term flap-related complications. However, the absolute risk of these events with modern LASIK is already very low. Most clinical comparison studies show equivalent visual outcomes; the difference is in the long-tail safety profile, which is hard to measure in short-term studies.
SMILE is approved for myopia and myopic astigmatism in all markets where it is available. Hyperopic SMILE has been approved by the FDA more recently (2024) and in some other markets, but availability and surgeon experience varies.
Enhancement (re-treatment) is less straightforward than for LASIK because there is no flap to re-lift. The most common enhancement approach is to perform a PRK on the surface of the cornea, which adds a separate recovery period. Modern surgeons increasingly offer 'flap-lift after SMILE' techniques in selected cases.
The laser portion is approximately 30 seconds per eye, and the lenticule extraction adds 1-2 minutes. Total time in the laser room is typically 10-15 minutes per eye.
SMILE is typically priced 20-30% above LASIK at the same clinic. Total cost per eye varies by country and clinic.
Yes — because SMILE leaves the cornea structurally well-preserved (no flap, smaller incision), patients undergoing cataract surgery decades later have a more predictable corneal optical landscape. IOL calculations after refractive surgery still require specific formulas (e.g. Barrett True-K) regardless of the original refractive procedure.
The Carl Zeiss femtosecond laser used for SMILE is proprietary, has higher upfront equipment cost than excimer-laser-based LASIK systems, and the procedure requires additional surgeon training. These factors typically translate to a 20-30% price premium over LASIK at the same provider.
Glossary entries associated with smile (small incision lenticule extraction)
SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a variant of LASIK Eye Surgery. See the parent procedure for the broader category context.
Other ophthalmology procedures in our registry