Raleigh's most trusted refractive surgeons offering LASIK, LALEX (SMILE), PRK, EVO-ICL, Custom Lens Replacement (CLR/RLE), and cataract surgery.

What Is SMILE Laser Eye Surgery?

SMILE stands for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction. That might sound a little scary, but it’s actually a gentle eye surgery that helps fix problems like nearsightedness (when you can’t see things far away). It uses a special laser to change the shape of your cornea, which is the clear front part of your eye. This helps light focus better, so you can see clearly.

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How Is It Different from Other Eye Surgeries?

There are other types of laser eye surgery, like LASIK, but SMILE Laser Eye Surgery is a little different. With SMILE, the doctor only makes a tiny opening in the eye. That means the eye heals faster and feels more comfortable afterward. People who have dry eyes often find SMILE better than LASIK.

Is It Safe?

Yes! SMILE Laser Eye Surgery has been done on millions of people around the world. It is very safe when done by a trained eye doctor. Most people can see much better just one or two days after the surgery.

Who Can Get SMILE?

SMILE Laser Eye Surgery is best for adults who have healthy eyes and are nearsighted. Doctors will check your eyes first to see if you are a good match for the surgery. Teenagers usually have to wait until their eyes stop changing before they can get it.

What Happens During the Surgery?

The surgery takes only a few minutes. First, you’ll get special eye drops so you don’t feel any pain. Then, the doctor uses a laser to make a small lens-shaped piece inside your eye. That piece is removed through a tiny opening, and your vision improves quickly!

What About After the Surgery?

After the surgery, you’ll need to rest your eyes. Most people can go back to school or work in just a day or two. You may need to use eye drops and wear sunglasses for a while to protect your eyes.

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LALEX (SMILE) FAQ

Am I a candidate for LALEX (SMILE)?

Generally, patients who are aged 20-40 years old with a stable prescription, healthy eyes, normal corneas, and adequate corneal thickness may qualify. LALEX (SMILE) is excellent at correcting myopia (nearsightedness) with or without astigmatism.

Our doctors will determine if you qualify for LALEX (SMILE) during our free vision correction evaluation. As technology continues to advance, more patients qualify for vision correction surgery now than ever before. This includes many people who may have been told that they are not candidates in the past. If you don’t qualify for LALEX (SMILE), there is a good chance you may qualify for a different vision correction procedure at Porter Ophthalmology including PRK, EVO or LR.

Is LALEX (SMILE) the right procedure for me?

During our free vision correction evaluation, we will examine your eye and take advanced measurements to get a full picture of the health of your eyes. Our doctors use this information to recommend the best procedure for your eyes and your vision goals.

The good news: Porter Ophthalmology offers its patients all five of the latest vision correction procedures – LASIK, LALEX (SMILE), PRK, EVO and LR. This means more patients qualify than ever before and our doctors can recommend the absolute best procedure for you.

How fast is the recovery from LALEX (SMILE)?

Following LALEX (SMILE) your vision will be blurred for the first few hours and you may experience some mild scratchiness or dryness of your eyes. Any eye discomfort typically resolves within the first few hours and the vision is significantly improved by the next day. Most people are able to return to work either the next day or the day after following LALEX (SMILE).

Is LALEX (SMILE) safe? Are there any risks or side effects of LALEX (SMILE)?

LALEX (SMILE) is a safe and effective procedure for laser vision correction. LALEX (SMILE) has been FDA approved since 2016 and had been performed internationally for many years prior to that. Worldwide over 8 million patients have undergone the LALEX (SMILE) procedure and are enjoying the benefits of living life free of glasses or contacts.

Some of the more common side effects after LALEX (SMILE) include dry eyes or seeing glare and halos at night. Fortunately, these side effects are usually temporary and improve weeks to months after treatment. Serious complications of LALEX (SMILE) are extremely rare.

Is the LALEX (SMILE) procedure painful?

During the procedure we use numbing drops on the eye that prevent the sensation of anything sharp or painful. At times there may be pressure on the eye or the sensation of touch or drops on the eye but these are minimal.

Do I have to hold my eyes open during the procedure?

At the beginning of the LALEX (SMILE) procedure we will help you to relax and open your eyelids. From that point on a small safety device will gently hold your eye open for the duration of the laser treatment so that you don’t have to worry about blinking.

What happens if I move my eye?

The Visumax femtosecond laser we use for LALEX (SMILE) in our office gently stabilizes the front surface of the eye during the procedure to assist you in keeping your eye steady. If your eye moves, the laser treatment will stop as a safety measure. There is also a target light in the laser for you to look at in the beginning to align your eye in the correct position.

Is LALEX (SMILE) a permanent treatment?

A common misconception of LASIK and LALEX (SMILE) is that the effect wears off with time. In reality, we expect the vision correcting effect to last forever.

However, we know that natural changes will begin to affect the focusing ability of the lens inside your eye starting in your mid-40s. This leads to presbyopia or the need for reading glasses to see things up close. This is a normal and expected change with time that is unrelated to having LASIK or LALEX (SMILE). The good news is that if you don’t like using reading glasses, Porter Ophthalmology has additional solutions to make you less dependent on them.

Is LALEX (SMILE) covered by insurance?

Usually no, although we have seen some very rare instances where insurance plans pay for part of the cost of vision correction surgery. At Porter Ophthalmology, we offer flexible spending plans or interest-free financing options that can be a great way to make LALEX (SMILE) more affordable.