Innovations in Laser Eye Surgery: ReLEx SMILE

Let’s kick off this article with a simple fact: Having surgery is no fun. Moving on to a hospital ward; being made to wear the embarrassing gown; the food; waking up feeling worse than you did before; did I mention the food? And that’s all before you start to think about the procedure itself!

Surgery is usually considered a last resort – something we have to undergo when there are no other options. Why then, would someone decide – when they are perfectly healthy – to have an elective procedure like Laser Eye Surgery?

And yet, people do it all the time – and not just to improve their vision. Vasectomies, liposuction, cosmetic surgeries, and organ donations (to name a few) happen every day – often for reasons that are far from life-critical. Yet, with well over 55 million treatments carried out to date, Laser Eye Surgery is the most popular elective procedure in the world.

The fact is, surgery has come a long way in recent years; so much so that all of that awful stuff we mentioned earlier is often a thing of the past. No long overnight stays, bland food, or invasive techniques may help to make elective procedures like Laser Eye Surgery that little bit more appealing.

As the most popular treatment, and one that has been at the forefront of technological advancements since its inception, Laser Eye Surgery is undoubtedly helping to change our perceptions of surgery.

A New eEra of Laser Eye Surgery

Laser Eye Surgery has been worlds away from the typical perception of surgery for years, and the latest advancement in the treatment – ReLEx SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction), takes us even further.

While in the past, Laser Eye Surgery techniques have been relatively invasive – requiring the creation of a flap, or complete removal of an area of cornea – ReLEx SMILE takes a different approach.

Using advanced femtosecond technology and state-of-the-art VisuMax lasers, surgeons are able to access the corneal bed via a tiny keyhole incision. This development made what was already a largely short and painless procedure even more so: a minimally-invasive treatment that can be completed in a matter of minutes.

As if that wasn’t enough, SMILE has a whole host of other major benefits that prove just how revolutionary this technique is:

Reduced treatment and recovery time: 

For decades, Laser Eye Surgery has been well-known for its quick recovery time – after all, it’s no good the treatment being revolutionary if it takes six months to recover. With SMILE, the procedure itself is often completed in as little as four minutes and within 24 hours, patients are usually already experiencing vision at 80 per cent of its optimum level (only to get better!).

Improved safety and comfort: 

The ReLEx SMILE procedure also allows us to offer our Laser Eye Surgery patients a new level of comfort. This shorter, less invasive procedure requires the use of only one instrument and longer lasting symptoms are often resolved more quickly. For example, dry eyes usually resolve in 3-6 months, as opposed to the average of 6-12 months for LASIK procedures.

Increased suitability:

 If you have been told you are unsuitable for Laser Eye Surgery in the past, there is a good chance that you are a candidate for ReLEx SMILE. The minimally invasive nature of this procedure means that even patients with higher prescriptions, who are contact lens intolerant, have thin corneas, or suffer from dry eyes, are potentially suitable for Laser Eye Surgery.

After almost 40 years of Laser Eye Surgery, SMILE is a treatment that is leading the way into a new era of elective procedures. This 21st-century treatment is favoured by everyone from sportspeople and beauty YouTubers – and with good reason.

To find out more about astigmatism, or book a consultation with us, contact one of our friendly Patient Care Coordinators today. 

Laser Eye Treatment Fees start from £6,200 for both eyes. Very complex treatments may cost more.

Interest-FREE finance available over THREE years, from £87 per month for both eyes, makes the best more flexible. Find out more.