Wouldn’t you love to say goodbye to your glasses or contact lenses for good with a fast, effective, and minimally invasive procedure?
Well, now you can with SMILE Laser eye surgery. Sydney residents can contact the team at Vision Clinic to book a FREE laser vision assessment today, to see how we can make it happen for you!
There have been over a million successful SMILE Laser eye surgery procedures performed around the world and we are proud to be one of the FIRST clinics to offer in Sydney since 2018.
What is Smile Laser Eye Surgery?
SMILE (SMall Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a minimally invasive, flapless, keyhole laser eye surgery with higher accuracy, lower risk and better recovery compared to previous generations of laser eye surgery.
The key advancement is in the laser technology. The Zeiss femtosecond laser can deliver incisive pulses directly to a focal point inside the cornea. The laser energy does not cause collateral injury before or after the focal point.
The SMILE laser is used to create a thin, contact-lens-shaped layer just beneath the corneal surface and then a small opening through which that layer is removed.
Benefits of SMILE laser vision correction
There are numerous benefits of SMILE laser eye surgery:
Painless quick surgery – only 25 seconds of laser treatment required
Better treatment experience – no burning smell, no transfer between different laser machines and a totally silent procedure
Painless quick recovery – minimal discomfort even straight after surgery because of the very small wound
No concerns about flap complications – because there is no corneal flap
Less short term side-effects – less dry eyes from less damage to corneal nerves
Better accuracy and stability – especially for bigger corrections as the treatment time and energy is the same for all correction powers
Better night vision – corneal shape is smoother and effective optical correction zone is wider
Higher corneal strength after the surgery – the structurally important surface layers of the cornea is not affected by the treatment
Am I a suitable candidate for SMILE eye surgery?
You are a suitable candidate for SMILE surgery if:
You’ve had a stable prescription for over 12 months
The Zeiss Visumax is also currently the fastest femtosecond laser at 500kHz. That is half a million pulses within 1 second. Only 25 seconds is required to create the lenticule.
How is SMILE laser eye surgery performed at Vision Clinic in Sydney?
Small incision lenticule extraction, or SMILE for short, is a minimally invasive treatment and requires no flap. A laser is used to create a thin, contact-lens-shaped layer just beneath the corneal surface and then a small opening through which that layer is removed.
STEP 1: Internal Lenticule creation
A thin lenticule is created internally inside the intact cornea by the laser. A very small 2.5mm surface laser incision is then made to allow access to this internal lenticle.
STEP 2: Lenticule removal
The lenticule is removed through the incision with minimal disruption to the corneal biomechanics.
STEP 3: Impairment is corrected
Removing the lenticule changes the shape of the cornea, thereby achieving the desired refractive correction.
Recovery
Patients typically recover very quickly after SMILE surgery, as the procedure is minimally invasive. After the treatment you’ll be taken to the recovery room for about 30 mins, in order to allow your eyes to adjust. While most patients can see well as soon as the next day, it typically takes approximately 3 weeks for your vision to fully stabilise.
It’s important to make sure that you keep water away from your eyes for at least 2 days and avoid rubbing your eyes for at least 3 weeks as they will still be recovering from the procedure.
How much does SMILE eye surgery cost in Sydney?
To get an accurate estimate of how much the surgery will cost you, we advise booking an initial consultation with us. However We do provide flexible payment plans for any surgical procedures at Vision Clinic Sydney:
Simple online application
Approval in 60 minutes
Payment plans up to $30,000
Transparent fees
Hassle-free payments to your surgeon
Visit the Medipay website at medipay.com.au to apply now.
Why choose Vision Clinic for your SMILE laser treatment in Sydney?
At Vision Clinic we only use the most state of the art diagnostic and laser technology to ensure we maximally optimise your vision and our surgeon Dr Kumar, has over 12 years experience and performed thousands of procedures.
Most of all we pride ourselves on providing you with tailored and innovative solutions combined with meticulous attention to detail to ensure your vision is both protected and optimised to its full potential.
Meet Dr Kumar
Dr Nikhil Kumar is a Cataract, Cornea and Refractive Subspecialist Ophthalmic Microsurgeon with specific and extensive training in many different forms of laser surgery. He graduated in Medicine from the University of Newcastle in 1998 and completed ophthalmology specialty training at the Sydney Eye Hospital in 2008. His subspeciality cornea and laser correction fellowship training was at the University of Toronto in 2009. He has been in private practice in Sydney since 2010.
FAQs
Below you can find our most frequently asked questions about our SMILE eye surgery in Sydney:
Who is not suitable for SMILE laser eye surgery?
If you are far-sighted patients or pregnant or breastfeeding then SMILE is not suitable for you.
Is SMILE better than LASIK surgery?
Yes, as the SMILE incision is 10x smaller and smaller wound always heals faster. Most of the benefits of are related to a much smaller wound size. Also, unlike LASIK that uses an excimer laser, SMILE uses a femtosecond laser which can directly treat within the cornea without collateral injury to the surface of the eye.
What are the risks of SMILE laser refractive surgery?
As it is minimally invasive, SMILE surgery is considered very safe. There may still be a small chance of infection and scarring though, which is why it’s important to complete the post-operative eye-drop treatment and attend any check-ups arranged by your surgeon.
How many years does SMILE eye surgery last?
Your SMILE procedure is permanent but your vision will be affected as you get older and will naturally deteriorate.
How long does the SMILE procedure take in Sydney?
Typical SMILE laser treatment time is 25 seconds regardless of the correction required. The whole procedure will be completed in 10minutes or less.
What if my eye moves during the procedure?
It doesn’t matter if your eyes move during the procedure as the laser iinstantly reacts and ceases treatment until your eyes are fixed on the target again. Even though there is no risk, it’s important to keep your eyes fixed on the target.
Will I feel pain during SMILE surgical procedures?
No, you won’t feel any pain during the procedure. You may feel some light pressure but numbing eye drops are administered before treatment to minimise any discomfort.
Can I return to work and drive straight after the SMILE surgery?
You will be able to return to work and resume driving 2 to 3 days after surgery.
How quickly can I return to active activities after SMILE eye surgery?
Patients can return to active activities like swimming within 3 days because with SMILE, there is only a 2.5mm wound on the surface of the eye, so there is minimal discomfort even on the day of surgery.
