Is the SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) method really safe?
The history of the SMILE method, a one-stage procedure that combines the advantages of the LASEK and LASIK methods, dates back to 2006, when Prof. Walter Sekundo performed the first operation using this method. Little did Sekundo become… an obstetrician gynecologist.
I partly studied in the US at Tulane University,” he he tells in an interview – Dealing with internal diseases. This was too boring for me, because I like to keep my hands busy. So then I took up gynecology and obstetrics, but that wasn’t it either. I asked the secretary if there were any other practices, and it turned out that no one had applied to practice ophthalmology. My friend recommended Louisiana State University to me… And it was a hit!
All of Professor Sekundo’s further activities were directed toward excelling in this field of medicine. Among other things, he was a fellow at Moorfields with Julian Stevens, until he was finally contacted by Zeiss, a world leader in medical technology. This happened because of his academic interest in refractive surgery. Since then, research has gained momentum.
We have continued research to get to the stage where we are today, and we continue to conduct many studies, including biomechanical experimental work and surgical prospective studies, among them those related to the use of SMILE for hyperopia correction.
The commitment of Prof. Sekundo and his colleagues has brought the SMILE method to its current state. What is important to know about it?
The SMILE method (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, lens removal through a small incision) uses a high-precision, high-speed femtosecond laser to shape the cornea. The laser cuts a small piece of lens-shaped tissue inside the cornea. This activity takes an average of 23 seconds. The surgeon then removes the lens through a small incision in the front of the eye. This reshapes the cornea and corrects the refractive defect.
Is the SMILE method safe?
The technique of this procedure is well-known and recognized by medical associations associated with refractive laser eye surgery. Femtosecond laser technology is clinically proven and is used in LASIK and cataract removal surgeries.
In the SMILE method, all the upper layers of the cornea are actually intact – they are the ones that contribute most to the stability of the cornea.
