SMILE Eye Surgery (Flapless Laser)
Laser correction through a 2–4 mm incision, with no corneal flap lifted at all.
Save up to 70% vs the UK & Germany
- Stay in Istanbul
- 3-4 days
- Time in theatre
- 10 min
- In hospital
- Same-day discharge
- Anaesthesia
- Anaesthetic drops
- Back to work
- 2 days
- Full result
- 1 months
Overview
In SMILE a femtosecond laser shapes a thin disc of tissue inside the cornea, calculated from your prescription, and that disc is drawn out through an incision of only 2–4 mm. Because no flap is lifted, the front surface of the cornea stays largely intact and fewer corneal nerves are cut. It is done with one machine under anaesthetic drops, and both eyes take around 10 minutes in total. SMILE is currently used mainly for short sight, with or without astigmatism.
Benefits
- No flap is created, which is an advantage in sports with a risk of impact
- Fewer corneal nerves are cut, so dry-eye risk is considered lower than with LASIK
- The intact front surface means less loss of corneal biomechanical strength
- One step, one machine, roughly 10 minutes for both eyes
- Far gentler first days than surface laser, with desk work usually possible after 2 days
Who is this treatment for?
Usually suitable
- Short sight or short-sighted astigmatism stable for at least a year or two
- Boxers, martial artists and others who want to avoid a corneal flap entirely
- Patients with a mild tendency to dry eye who want fewer corneal nerves cut
Needs assessment first
- Keratoconus, suspicious topography or a thin cornea, where SMILE is also ruled out
- Long sight, where the method usually sits with LASIK or a lens procedure instead
- A prescription still changing, pregnancy, breastfeeding or marked dry eye
Final suitability is decided by your consultant after examination and imaging in Istanbul.
Your treatment, step by step
- 01
Free online consultation
Tell us your prescription, your age and the sports you play. Within 24 hours we send an honest first view on whether SMILE is likely to suit you.
- 02
Measurement day
Topography, pachymetry, pupil size and tear tests map your cornea. The thickness of the disc to be removed is calculated from those measurements.
- 03
Treatment day
The femtosecond laser shapes the disc and your surgeon removes it through the small incision. Anaesthetic drops are used and both eyes are done in the same session.
- 04
Checks and flight home
Vision and the incision site are checked the next day and on day three. Your drop schedule is written out before you travel.
Aftercare & long-term tips
Use your drops to the schedule and keep your hands away from your eyes for the first week. Wait two to four weeks for pools, the sea and saunas, and have your surgeon confirm before you return to contact sport. Some fluctuation in vision during the first month is normal; if something does not settle, write to us and we will guide you to an eye doctor at home if needed.
First 24 hours
Stick to soft, lukewarm foods and drinks; avoid very hot or hard items while any numbness or sensitivity settles.
First few days
Ease back into normal eating as sensitivity fades — usually within a few days.
Long term
Eat normally and protect your result with the simple habits below.
Do
- Brush twice a day and floss daily
- Attend your regular check-ups and cleanings
- Wear a night guard if you grind your teeth
- Keep the area clean and rinse as advised
Avoid
- Biting very hard objects — ice, pen lids, shells
- Opening bottle or soda caps with your teeth
- Too many hard nuts or sticky, chewy sweets
- Smoking and staining drinks in the first days
What's included
- Free consultation & treatment plan
- Treatment by specialist dentists
- 5-star hotel accommodation
- Private VIP airport transfers
- Personal translator & 24/7 support
- Aftercare & treatment guarantee
Risks and an honest expectation
Having no flap does not remove risk: dry eye, night haloes and fluctuating vision can all occur in the first weeks. Retained fragments of the disc, a small tear at the incision and inflammation inside the cornea are uncommon but recognised. If a further correction is ever needed after SMILE it is usually done as surface laser, and that possibility is discussed with you before you decide.
They flew in. They flew home changed.
Frequently asked questions
Other treatments in this department
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