Does SMILE Pro need an excimer laser?
No. Lenticule extraction uses one laser, a femtosecond laser, to create the lenticule and the small incision; there is no second laser and no excimer step, which is one of the structural differences from a flap procedure.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- SMILE Pro
- Kind of question
- Can I…
- Procedures
- SMILE Pro, LASIK
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
What this answer depends on
- Which platform the clinic has installed
- Whether the clinic performs both types of procedure
- What the quote itemises for the technology used
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision correction & laser eye surgery in SMILE Pro . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Procedure SMILE Pro
- Comparison SMILE Pro vs LASIK
- Place SMILE in Dubai
- Procedure SMILE
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- ZEISS VISUMAX 800
The manufacturer’s own product page for the femtosecond laser platform used for SMILE pro.
Used for What describes the technology behind SMILE pro; The distinction between SMILE and SMILE pro; Claimed workflow features such as automated centration.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE)
A continuously updated clinical reference chapter covering SMILE indications, technique, outcomes and complications, written for clinicians.
Used for How the lenticule is created and removed; Indications and contraindications; Complication categories; Corneal biomechanics compared with flap-based surgery.
Link checked 22 September 2026