• Automatic centration and astigmatism axis alignment

• Faster vision recovery

• Stronger cornea

• Reduced night glare

• Reduced risk of fixation device displacement

Q&A

• Q What is SMILE LASIK?

  SMILE LASIK refers to a method of vision correction surgery, not the surgical equipment itself. The procedure involves creating a small incision to extract a corneal lenticule separated by laser, known as SMILE surgery. Although it is commonly referred to as SMILE LASIK for ease of understanding, the precise term is SMILE surgery.

• Q What disadvantages does original SMILE LASIK have?

  The conventional SMILE LASIK, launched 13 years ago and still in use today, utilizes the VisuMax 500 (ZEISS) equipment. One major drawback is the lack of an eye-tracking device, which is crucial for sharp vision after surgery. This absence increases the risk of issues such as centration displacement and astigmatism axis errors. Additionally, the fixation pressure of the device used to stabilize the eye was lower, leading to potential problems like displacement during the procedure.

• Q What is the difference between original
  SMILE LASIK and Smart SMILE LASIK?

  SCHWIND, a German company, is renowned for its advanced technology in eye-tracking devices crucial for laser vision correction surgery. The SCHWIND ATOS, a SMILE LASIK device developed by the company, features smart functions that allow for precise automatic measurement of important parameters like centration and astigmatism axis, linked with corneal topography examination. This is why it is called Smart SMILE LASIK.
  
  Additionally, the laser speed in Smart SMILE LASIK is 4 MHz, which is 8 times faster than the 500 kHz of the VisuMax 500 SMILE LASIK.
  
  Smart SMILE LASIK offers exceptionally precise centration and astigmatism correction, surpassing the performance of conventional SMILE LASIK and addressing its limitations. It represents a significant advancement in surgical methods.

• Q Wasn't the eye-tracking device introduced
  in the upgraded SMILE Pro as well?

  AThe SMILE Pro, which is performed using the VisuMax 800 released by ZEISS in 2023, has not yet been introduced in any ophthalmology clinics in Jeju Island as of January 2024. Although SMILE Pro offers faster speeds compared to the existing VisuMax 500, it still does not have an integrated eye-tracking system linked with corneal topography results. As with the older SMILE LASIK, the astigmatism axis must be manually marked by the surgeon on the cornea with a marking pen, leading to potential errors. Therefore, SMILE Pro does not feature an automated eye-tracking device. Additionally, SMILE Pro retains the side-cut method of conventional SMILE LASIK, resulting in a thinner residual corneal thickness and less natural edge blending.

• Q Why does Smart SMILE LASIK take longer than SMILE Pro
  despite having a laser speed that is twice as fast?

  The Atos Smart SMILE LASIK operates at a speed of 4 MHz, which is twice as fast as the 2 MHz of the recently released VisuMax 800 SMILE Pro. However, the laser time is longer because the laser beams are more densely packed. This results in better separation of the corneal lenticule and faster vision recovery. The femtosecond laser used in SMILE LASIK creates small bubbles in the corneal tissue to separate it. The goal of technological advancement is to use minimal energy while positioning the laser as closely as possible to avoid overlapping bubbles, thus achieving optimal separation with precision.

• Q What differences are there between
  Clear LASIK and Smart SMILE LASIK?

  Ziemer’s Clear LASIK differs from Atos and VisuMax in that it flattens the cornea by applying pressure during the procedure. This pressure can cause wrinkles in the corneal endothelium, and the surgeon cannot monitor the laser's progress in real-time; it can only be checked after the surgery is completed. Clear LASIK also requires the surgeon to manually mark the astigmatism axis with a marking pen, which can introduce errors. Additionally, the thickness of the corneal lenticule removed is thicker, resulting in a thinner residual corneal thickness.