Considered the best method laser correction vision. ReLEx smile method - even more modern method, gentle and safe vision correction.

The peculiarity of this technique is that during the operation, an ophthalmic surgeon using a laser prepares a 3D tissue disk (lenticule), which is removed through a miniature hole (up to 2 mm, which is 10 times smaller than a standard incision for LASIK or ) and the biomechanics of the cornea changes. minimal. It is thanks to the small size of the laser incision that the procedure is called “slit”. The effect of correcting anomalies is achieved by removing the resulting disc, while the shape of the cornea changes, its stability is maintained, and fluid production is practically not affected. This method is optimal for patients who are intolerant or suffering.

Comparison of LASIK and Smile correction methods

Features of intracorneal femtosecond correction

• Provides corneal stability.
• Suitable for patients with dry eye syndrome.
• Can be performed on thin corneas.
• Myopia is corrected up to -10 diopters.
• The period of surgery and rehabilitation is short.
• Used for correction.
• There is 30% less corneal tissue loss.
• The corneal incision is minimal - “slit” correction technology.
• Suitable for athletes (divers, boxers).
• Correction procedure using the ReLEx smile method

Previously developed methods of laser vision correction consisted in the fact that during the operation a corneal flap (flap) was formed, then it was folded back, then the corneal tissue was removed until it became required form, after which the flap was returned to its place. The ReLEx smile technique is distinguished by correcting the shape of the cornea without creating a flap, making the method minimally invasive.

Stages of the operation using the ReLEx smile method

1. Formation of lenticule, making an incision
   The corneal lenticule (3D disk of corneal tissue) is formed using the VisuMax femtosecond laser. The lenticule is separated in one go, and a micro-incision is created in the intact zone of the cornea (its length is up to a maximum of 4 mm). This process is carried out regardless individual characteristics patient's cornea.
2. Lenticule removal
   The next stage of correction is to remove the formed lenticule through a micro-incision. Intervention in the biomechanics of the cornea is minimal, since not a single flap of its superficial part is removed.
3. Rehabilitation
   Recovery period after correction using the “Samail” method, it is quite fast; to achieve the effect, it is necessary to follow all the recommendations of the ophthalmic surgeon. The method allows you to achieve the desired refractive correction.

Video about the Smile method

The changes in the cornea associated with the removal of the corneal lenticule ensure that the desired change in refraction is achieved.

Advantages of the ReLEx smile method

• During the operation, no corneal flap is formed.
• The corneal lenticule is prepared in the intact part of the cornea.
• One-stage operation.
• There is no need to change equipment during the intervention.
• Virtually painless intervention.
• Low risk of postoperative complications.
• The production of tear fluid is practically not affected.
• The operation is carried out quickly.
• Short rehabilitation period.
• There were no visual field defects during the operation.

Clinics and prices where ReLEx Smile correction is performed

*Attention! Prices may change (relevance is checked once a week). Check the current cost with medical institutions.

SMILE: innovative technology performing operations

Using the VisuMax® femtosecond laser (manufactured by Carl Zeiss Meditec), the operating doctor first forms a thin cornea in the thickness of the intact cornea. optical lens, the so-called lenticule, and then makes a small incision to access it (in our clinic it is only 2 mm). Through this incision, the doctor carefully removes the lenticule.

You will be surprised how quickly the operation is over! Looking at your watch, you will realize that you can see much better without glasses than before the operation!

The advantage of the ReLEx SMILE technique is that when correction is performed, the cornea retains its natural structure. Research by doctors from the Smile Eyes ophthalmological centers confirms that operations using the SMILE method are the best way to maintain the stability of the corneal tissue and avoid the risks of keratectasia. In addition, no other technique can provide the patient with such a comfortable postoperative period: as a rule, already 2 hours after the operation the patient will not have any sensation. foreign body in the eye.

When performing operations using the LASIK and Femto-LASIK techniques, a thin corneal flap, the so-called “flap,” is first formed. The flap is then folded back and a computer-controlled excimer laser vaporizes the distorted areas in the inner layers of the cornea according to the degree of myopia. In this case, the sensation of a foreign body in the eye may persist for 5-7 hours after surgery.

Removal of the corneal lens (lenticule)
using tunnel technology
with minimal intervention

Femto-LASIK / LASIK

Corneal excision after incision
and bending of the corneal flap (flap)

Lasik-method-strich

Reviews from patients after vision correction ReLEx SMILE

SMILE: step-by-step execution of the operation

Preparation.
Since wearing contact lenses may affect the shape of the cornea, you should stop using contact lenses several weeks before surgery.

The morning of the operation.
Start the day according to your normal routine, doing your usual activities. This will allow you to calm down. Clean the eye area especially thoroughly. Remember that the day before surgery and on the day of surgery you should not use cosmetic products such as face creams, decorative cosmetics or perfume. You can eat and drink everything as usual. But you shouldn't smoke too much. Wear comfortable clothes that do not restrict movement.

At the medical center.
The operation is performed on an outpatient basis. The operation on both eyes takes on average 20 minutes. If you are a little excited and nervous, this is completely normal. If you feel too anxious, you can ask for a calming tablet.

The procedure can be carried out in medicated sleep mode, however at the moment is discussed in advance because requires prior consultation and further involvement of our anesthesiologist.

Before the operation, we will once again study all the data together, after which the doctor will drop pain-relieving drops into the operated eye. To prevent blinking during surgery, the eyelid is fixed with a special expander, and the second eye is closed. The eye is then fixed using a special lens that is adjusted to suit the individual characteristics of the patient's eye. The VisuMax® femtosecond laser creates a lenticule and makes a tiny incision (2-2.5 mm) in the cornea. After which the doctor cuts off the lenticule and removes it. In this case, you see a light point, but feel practically nothing. Once corrected, this tiny incision closes on its own. No postoperative measures are required. Ask relatives or friends to pick you up, since after the operation you cannot drive yet. We recommend wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes.

After the operation.
You can't rub your eyes. Within a week after the operation, you need to instill the received from us eye drops. The drops should be placed approximately five times a day into the eye where surgery was performed. If necessary, we will also provide artificial tears. In just two or three days you can start working and playing sports again. However, swimming and sauna use should be avoided for three to four weeks to reduce the risk of infection. We carry out examinations to monitor the results of the correction every other day, a few days and a few more weeks after the operation. But if you have any questions, you can contact us at other times.

SMILE: risks

The responsible attitude of our specialists to their work and careful quality control allowed us to reduce risks during operations to a minimum. But they cannot be completely excluded. However, almost all complications can be corrected with correct behavior patient and doctor.
Our branches use the most modern technology, the staff constantly improves their skills, all operating doctors, like the rest of the staff, have many years of experience - thanks to this, the risks when performing operations using the SMILE method are minimal.

As a rule, the following four most important groups complications:

1. Loss of vacuum
During an operation that lasts only 20-26 seconds, loss of vacuum can occur because the patient squints his eyes too much or moves his head too quickly. Depending on the stage of the operation, the doctor may continue to perform it or repeat it later.

2. Infections
Infection is possible with any surgical intervention. However, the SMILE technique, due to its low invasiveness, is associated with less risk than operations using LASIK or LASEK techniques.

3. Correction result
The goal of treatment is to completely correct ametropia. In approximately 95% of cases, this goal can be achieved after a single operation. But due to the individual reaction of tissues, the correction may be excessive or insufficient.

4. Corneal ectasia
Very in rare cases Immediately after surgery or several years after it, due to congenital tissue weakness, the surface of the cornea may become distorted, resulting in poor vision. Until now, not a single publication has mentioned a case of corneal ectasia after surgery using the SMILE technique on a healthy eye.

• Description of the ReLExSmile method
• Equipment for vision correction using SMILE technology
• How is the operation performed using SMILE technology?
• Progress of the operation
• Recovery after surgery
• Advantages of the SMILE procedure at the Sfera clinic

Description of the ReLExSmile method

ReLExSmile or SMILE technology is unique way carrying out one-stage laser vision correction. Minimally invasive surgery effectively solves problems of varying complexity. Among the existing techniques, ReLExSmile has proven itself to be the safest and most effective.

Millions of people with visual impairments in European countries, South Korea and America managed to evaluate the possibilities of laser surgery from their own experience.

ReLExSmile does possible solution problems with the quality of vision even in conditions when alternative correction methods do not give the desired results and vision does not improve. In addition, the use of the SMILE method is possible if there are contraindications to other operations due to dry eye syndrome, small corneal thickness, individual intolerance lenses

Specialists at the Sfera clinic use ReLExSmile technology, achieving excellent correction results the following violations ophthalmological profile:

• myopia (myopia) – from -1.5 to -10 diopters;
• astigmatism – up to 6 diopters.

The operation is absolutely painless for the patient and does not require complex surgical procedures. The total duration of the procedure is no more than a few minutes. When using SMILE technology, vision is restored within one day.

The minimally invasive technology ReLExSmile represents the third generation of professional medical methods laser vision correction as part of refractive surgery. Leading world experts recognize this method as the most significant achievement in the ophthalmological field. The principle of correction is the absolute precision of the preparation of the lenticule and its further extraction by performing a micro-incision. During the operation, an incision is made along the peripheral part of the cornea. Thus, the method is characterized by maximum safety with stable positive results applications.

Minimally invasive surgery, like alternative ophthalmic technologies, belongs to the list laser operations. However, it is radically different from other methods. The shape of the cornea is changed under the influence of a fumtosecond laser beam. In this case, the corneal tissue is practically not damaged and is only slightly injured.

The use of the correction method under consideration ensures the preservation of the organ’s natural ability to produce tear fluid. Operations are prescribed even in the presence of previously critical contraindications:

• dry eyes,
• subtleties of the cornea,
• complex orbital structure,

If previously such difficulties did not allow us to accurately predict the result and were considered absolute contraindications to treatment, then laser vision correction according to innovative method SMILE has practically no restrictions. Achieving excellent results in terms of restoring visual function is possible even with moderate and severe myopia with a degree of myopia of up to -10 diopters.

Equipment for vision correction using SMILE technology

The SMILE operation gives effective results in terms of restoring the quality of vision, primarily through the use of a unique patented technology and innovative laser machine VisuMax, presented by the German manufacturer CarlZeiss. Unlike alternative systems, this equipment demonstrates absolute accuracy and absence of operational errors.

The laser for the SMILE procedure from the German developer is femtosecond and is used to form lenticules inside the corneal tissue. Lenticule is called special lens, which provides correction refractive errors. After obtaining the desired effect, the lenticule is easily removed through a micro-incision. The effectiveness and safety of the procedure is increased due to the fact that there is no need to create a large flap for ablation of the surgical area, as is required by other surgical methods.

The surgical incision when working with a laser of this type accurately repeats the shape of the corneal segment and looks like a semicircle that looks like a smile. Some believe that this was the reason for the spread of the name SMILE in everyday life. In fact, SMILE is an abbreviation and has a real medical decoding, which in literal translation reveals the essence of the operation - small-incision (or minimally invasive) lenticule extraction.

How is the operation performed using SMILE technology?

Like any other surgical intervention, laser and vision correction requires preliminary preparation. One of the main conditions is to carry out refractive ophthalmological diagnostics, thanks to which it is possible to assess the individual refraction of a particular patient and identify existing contraindications. Based on the results of vision diagnostics, we select optimal method and correction tactics. The duration of the examination is 2-3 hours on average.

Please note that as part of the examination in preparation for laser corrections, you must stop using contact lenses for the previous 14 days. This requirement is conditioned high probability changes in the corneal surface and visual functions with prolonged contact with lenses.

Progress of the operation

The operation using the minimally invasive ReLExSmile technique is performed under absolutely sterile conditions in the operating room of the clinic. Use local anesthesia. The entire procedure takes place in a “one day” format. The correction begins with the introduction of pain-relieving anesthetic drops into the patient’s eyes. Their use allows you to eliminate the sensitivity of the cornea during surgical procedures.

After anesthesia and expansion eye pupil the patient is positioned on the operating table. At the venue surgical intervention a special eyelid expander is installed, which limits their mobility. Any other manipulations by doctors do not cause the slightest discomfort to the patient and are not felt by the latter.

The correction is carried out under the influence of a femtosecond laser using a specially configured program. At the first stage, a lenticule is formed, after which a micro-incision of less than 4 millimeters is made on the cornea. The doctor separates and removes the instromal lenticule. The corneal pocket is washed. Next, the eyelid expander is removed.

Recovery after surgery

The recovery period after manipulations related to vision correction takes 2-5 hours on average. The first hour after the intervention using the ReLExSmile method, the patient remains under the supervision of specialists. Then, when normal healing surgical wound, you can go home.

As a rule, routine inspection after manipulations related to vision correction, it is prescribed the next day after the procedure or 1-3 days later. During the examination, the doctor assesses the achievement of the predicted effect.

Advantages of the SMILE procedure at the Sfera clinic

During operations, the doctor does not touch either the epithelial layer on the surface of the cornea or the nerve plexus, which is located in the anterior layers of the corneal stroma. Thus, the transparency of the cornea remains absolutely unchanged and nothing interferes with normal, full vision.

Considering the already mentioned absence of the need for ablation of the corneal substance during correction using the method under consideration, the following fundamental features of the procedure are additionally achieved:

• Preservation of all mechanical properties of the patient's ocular cornea unchanged. In the case of the SMILE operation, the structure does not lose its original elasticity and strength.
• Extremely small size cut. The incision site instantly self-seals, and the tissue is restored in full in short terms time.
• Fast and pronounced results. The quality of vision within the framework of the SMILE procedure increases to the maximum possible level immediately after the operation is completed.

Prevention of dry eye syndrome. During operations performed by this method, the ability to synthesize tear fluid is completely preserved, and the most common complication does not develop.

Femtosecond laser began to be used for vision correction quite recently, in the first decade of our 21st century. Distinctive feature this laser is fantastically short pulse duration and very small impact spot. To understand what a femto second is, it is enough to say that during this time light travels a distance equal to half the thickness of a human hair.

This femtosecond laser pulse can be precisely focused at any depth of the cornea and form a superficial flap with maximum precision, controlling its shape and size with minimal disruption of the corneal structure, which cannot be achieved using the most modern mechanical microkeratome with a metal blade.

FEMTO-LASIK, FLEX And SMILE (ReLEx Smile) Today - the pride of refractive surgery. And although the observation period for patients is not so long, existing experience is the basis for a good prognosis for the future. IN in brief we can name the following advantages operations performed on a femtosecond laser before other operations, including before classical operation LASIK:

• more accurate calculation of correction of high degrees of myopia and astigmatism compared to other types of refractive surgery;
• absence of not only pain, but also discomfort during all stages of the operation;
• the possibility of developing complications during surgery caused by traditional corneal incision using a mechanical microkeratome disappears;
• absence of excessively high pressure on the eye with a vacuum ring when cutting the surface flap.

This best choice for patients with peripheral retinal dystrophies. The time required to perform FEMTO-LASIK, FLEX or SMILE (ReLEx Smile) after performing peripheral laser photocoagulation of the retina is much shorter and vision correction surgery using this method can be performed the very next day.

Those who were previously denied surgery medical indications(for example, high degree of myopia or thin cornea), now femtosecond can help VisuMax™ laser, since the impact on corneal tissue during surgical intervention as gentle as possible.

FEMTO-LASIK

The femtolaser beam can be focused not on the surface of the cornea, but at a certain depth in the stroma. At the point of focusing of the laser beam in the thickness of the cornea, the so-called “photodisruption” effect occurs - in this case, the tissues of the eye move apart and separate without an incision and much more carefully and accurately than when cutting with a microknife. In other words, laser beam causes the formation of a thin layer of tiny plasma air bubbles deep in the cornea, which are located at a certain depth and area in a precisely calculated area, forming a kind of “perforated layer” along which the layers of the cornea are separated without a classic incision.

This femtosecond laser pulse can be precisely focused at any depth of the cornea and form a superficial flap with maximum precision, controlling its shape and size with minimal disruption of the corneal structure, which cannot be achieved using the most modern mechanical microkeratome with a metal blade. It is precisely because of these features The femtosecond laser was used primarily to cut out the superficial lobe of the cornea instead of a mechanical microkeratome. The stage of laser correction is performed with an excimer laser, where after the completion of the operation of the femtolaser it moves operating table with the patient. At the end of the laser correction stage, the surface valve returns to its place.

FLEX

This the operation is performed only with a femto-second laser, excimer laser is not used. At the same time, the stage of forming a thin layer - “lenticules” with a femto-second laser inside the cornea and the stage of forming a surface valve, as with FEMTO-LASIK, are performed. After the femtosecond laser has finished operating, the surface petal is lifted and a thin film of corneal tissue (refractive lenticule) is removed. Then the eye is irrigated with a balanced saline solution, place the valve in place of the cut and straighten it.

SMILE (ReLEx Smile)

All operation also only executed on a femtosecond laser, but during femto laser operation no valve formation step. Immediately in the thickness of the cornea there is a stage of formation of a refractive section - a lenticule, which is removed special tool through one or two incisions measuring 2.0 mm - 3.0 mm, formed by a femto laser. The cornea is washed and smoothed to prevent corneal folds from forming.

Cost of laser vision correction surgery

Why don't we do SMILE?

At first glance, the SMILE laser correction technology compares favorably with its minimal corneal incision compared to Femto-LASIK - only 3 mm. However, it is not without the same disadvantages as Femto-LASIK, and the advantages of a small incision are not so significant.

• 1. The risk of dry eye syndrome after the SMILE operation is no less than after Femto-LASIK, since enough long-term exposure vacuum on the goblet cells of the conjunctiva, which are responsible for the production of tear fluid, and damage to the nerve fibers of the cornea occurs.
• 2. The accuracy of correction during the SMILE operation is significantly lower than with Femto-LASIK; it does not correct farsightedness, mixed astigmatism and large degrees of myopic astigmatism. The SMILE operation does not allow for personalized ablation taking into account the individual characteristics of the cornea.
• 3. During the Smile operation, decentration of the optical zone may occur much more often than during the Femto-LASIK operation, and sometimes, especially often when correcting mild myopia, difficulties arise in removing the lenticule (lens from the optical zone of the cornea), which also negatively affects visual acuity after surgery.
• 4. After the SMILE operation, folds and opacities may appear in the central optical zone of the cornea, which permanently reduce the acuity and quality of vision (up to six months or more).
• 5. Certain difficulties arise when additional correction of the refractive effect is necessary after SMILE surgery. In such cases, you have to switch to Femto-LASIK or PRK technology.
• 6. And all the disadvantages of the Femto-LASIK operation, such as the impact on twilight vision and a decrease in the frame properties of the cornea are inherent in the Smile operation to almost the same extent.

Many people write that in postoperative period Femto-LASIK has many restrictions that make life difficult, but after the SMILE operation there are none. Actually this is not true. After Femto-LASIK, the very next day you can play sports, work on the computer and lead a normal lifestyle, just like after SMILE.

Thus, we believe that today the Femto-LASIK operation (with the possibility of personalized ablation) is the most accurate, safe and proven method that allows laser correction of almost all types of refractive errors - myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism. This method provides the most fast recovery optical properties of the cornea and visual acuity, respectively.

Operation SMILE currently has limited application and, apparently, this technology still needs to be improved.