SMALL INCISION LENTICULE EXTRACTION

Course overview

SMALL INCISION LENTICULE EXTRACTION (SMILE) IS A LASER REFRACTIVE SURGERY THAT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR FOR THE CORRECTION OF MYOPIA AND MYOPIC ASTIGMATISM. SMILE HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH SIMILAR SAFETY, EFFICACY, AND PREDICTABILITY OUTCOMES AS LASER IN SITU KERATOMILEUSES (LASIK), WITH THE ADVANTAGES OF INCREASED PATIENT SATISFACTION AND DECREASED POSTOPERATIVE DRY EYE. THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE SURGICAL TECHNIQUE, COMPLICATIONS, AND VISUAL OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH SMILE, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WHO UNDERGO SMILE.