What is SMILE Pro?
SMILE Pro is a form of laser vision correction in which a femtosecond laser creates a thin, lens-shaped layer of tissue inside the cornea (called a lenticule) which is then removed through a small incision. It corrects short-sightedness and astigmatism without creating the corneal flap that LASIK uses.
Quick answer
SMILE Pro is a form of laser vision correction in which a femtosecond laser creates a thin, lens-shaped layer of tissue inside the cornea (called a lenticule) which is then removed through a small incision. It corrects short-sightedness and astigmatism without creating the corneal flap that LASIK uses.
A general answer about SMILE Pro, not advice about your own eyes. Only an ophthalmologist who has examined you can answer it for your case.
- Topic
- SMILE Pro basics
- Answer length
- Quick answer plus detail
- Sourced
- Yes
In more detail
The underlying technique is called small incision lenticule extraction, or SMILE. The "Pro" refers to the treatment performed on a newer generation of laser platform. Removing the lenticule changes the curvature of the cornea, which changes where incoming light comes to a focus inside the eye.
SMILE is one of several refractive surgery options. It is not the only one, and it is not automatically the right one: suitability depends on measurements taken during a clinical examination.
Related guides
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
It describes what is generally true. Whether it applies to your eyes depends on measurements taken during an examination, and two people asking the same question can receive different answers. Read the answer as a starting point for the conversation, not as its conclusion.
People also ask
The closest subjects to this question, from both question banks.
- What is the difference between SMILE and SMILE Pro? SMILE Pro basics
- How does SMILE Pro work? SMILE Pro basics
- What does SMILE Pro correct? Vision correction
- What are the disadvantages of SMILE Pro? Vision correction
- What happens to the lenticule that is removed? Vision correction
- What is ZEISS SMILE pro? Technology & terminology
More SMILE Pro questions
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
- 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