Who cannot have SMILE?
SMILE is generally not used where the prescription falls outside the range the technique can address, where the cornea is unstable or irregular, or where the ocular surface is too dry to measure and heal reliably.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- SMILE
- Kind of question
- Who can…
- Procedures
- SMILE, SMILE Pro
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
It is also not the usual choice in eyes that have had certain previous corneal surgeries, because the layered structure the technique relies on has already been altered. That is an assessment finding rather than something you can check yourself.
Related guides
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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 . 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
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
- Comparison SMILE vs PRK
- Place SMILE in Dubai
- Procedure SMILE Pro
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.
- 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