Laser eye surgery
ReLEx SMILE Pro
The entire correction happens inside the cornea, and the tissue is removed through an opening of just a few millimetres. No flap is created, so more of the corneal structure is preserved. Most patients are back at work within a couple of days.
30+ years of experienceFree assessmentAn experienced treatment team throughout
What is SMILE Pro?
SMILE Pro (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is the newest generation of laser vision correction, performed with the Carl Zeiss VISUMAX 800 – one of the most advanced femtosecond lasers in the world. Rather than creating a corneal flap, the surgeon shapes a tiny lens-shaped disc (a lenticule) inside the intact cornea and removes it through a keyhole opening of just 2–4 mm.
ReLEx SMILE Pro may be relevant for you if you are short-sighted and under 45. The treatment is gentle and can also be an option for larger refractive errors and thinner corneas.
ReLEx SMILE Pro may be relevant if you are short-sighted up to −8 D. The treatment can also correct astigmatism up to 5 D.
In ReLEx SMILE Pro, a minimal opening is created in the cornea using a laser. The vision correction itself is performed with the VisuMax femtosecond laser, which can make precise 3D incisions. The minimally invasive method allows fast healing and can reduce dry-eye symptoms compared with other laser treatments.
Because the surface of the cornea stays almost untouched, SMILE Pro preserves more of the eye's natural strength and stability. The laser itself takes only seconds per eye, and most patients notice a dramatic improvement in their vision by the very next day.
How SMILE Pro works
Create the lenticule
A computer-guided femtosecond laser forms a precise lenticule within the middle layer of the cornea, customised to your exact prescription.
Removed through a small opening
The surgeon removes the lenticule through a 2–4 mm opening – no flap is cut, keeping the cornea biomechanically stable.
The cornea is reshaped
With the lenticule gone, the cornea takes on its new shape, focusing light correctly onto the retina for sharp vision.
The treatment process – step by step
1. Free, no-obligation assessment
At the free, no-obligation assessment, the optometrist assesses your options for a ReLEx SMILE Pro treatment. Together, you go through the possible benefits of the treatment.
2. Measurements
Before the treatment, we carry out an examination with further measurements. Before the examination, you must avoid wearing contact lenses for at least one week, as they can change the shape of the cornea and thereby affect the measurements. If you wear hard contact lenses, you must avoid them for at least two weeks before the examination.
During the measurement session, the sight test is carried out after you have been given pupil-dilating eye drops. The drops can affect your vision for up to 24 hours, so we advise against driving immediately after the examination.
3. The ReLEx SMILE Pro treatment
On the day of the treatment itself, you can eat and drink as usual, but you should not smoke. You should also refrain from using facial products, make-up and perfume.
When you arrive at the clinic, you will be welcomed by a nurse, who will offer you a calming tablet and make sure you feel at ease. The treatment is performed with local anaesthetic eye drops and therefore does not normally hurt. The treatment of both eyes takes around 20 minutes.
Using the VisuMax femtosecond laser, a lenticule is created in the cornea along with a small 2 mm opening. The lenticule is then removed through the opening. As the treatment does not require a flap, the structure of the cornea is affected only minimally. When the lenticule is removed, the curvature and thickness of the cornea change so that the refractive error is corrected and the need for glasses or contact lenses can be reduced.
After the treatment, you can sit and rest until you are ready to go home. You will be given a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. We recommend that a relative or friend accompanies you home, as you must not drive yourself after the treatment.
4. After the ReLEx SMILE Pro treatment
After the treatment, you will need to use antibiotic and lubricating eye drops for a period. Before the treatment, we go through how often you should use the drops, and you are given drop instructions.
Advantages of ReLEx SMILE Pro
- The treatment may be relevant for larger refractive errors and thinner corneas
- Gentle if you are prone to dry eyes
- The cornea remains stable
- Suitable for refractive errors up to −8 D
- Minimal corneal opening (no “flap”)
- Risk of infection is considerably reduced
- Greater comfort, as there is only one treatment step
- Total duration of the eye treatment: approx. 20 minutes
- Rapid normalisation of vision
- Outpatient, pain-free treatment
- Back at work after approx. 1–2 days
Why choose ReLEx SMILE Pro over LASIK?
Femto-LASIK has been scientifically recognised as a treatment for refractive errors for many years. ReLEx SMILE Pro allows gentle and comfortable vision correction and may be relevant for people with larger refractive errors.
Both methods are well-proven treatments for refractive errors. With ReLEx SMILE Pro, the surface of the cornea is affected less because of the minimal 2 mm opening. By comparison, the corneal flap in LASIK is around 20 mm. ReLEx SMILE Pro is therefore less invasive and gentler on the tear film. The precise 3D incisions support fast healing and can reduce the risk of complications.
No flap complications
Although flap-related complications occur very rarely with FS-LASIK, this type of complication is avoided with ReLEx SMILE Pro, because the treatment does not require a corneal flap.
Also for dry eyes
ReLEx SMILE Pro is gentler on the tear film than FS-LASIK and can therefore reduce dry-eye symptoms. With pronounced dryness symptoms, however, the treatment is not always relevant.
Corneal stability is maintained
With ReLEx SMILE Pro, only a small opening of about 2 mm in the upper corneal layer is needed. By comparison, LASIK creates a flap of about 20 mm. ReLEx SMILE Pro therefore affects the stability of the cornea to a lesser degree.
Femtosecond technology
ReLEx SMILE Pro uses a femtosecond laser (VisuMax from ZEISS). Femtosecond technology is a modern and precise method for correcting refractive errors.
Key benefits
Flapless & gentle
Keyhole technique with an incision of just 2 mm.
Seconds per eye
The laser step is complete in well under a minute.
Kind to dry eyes
Minimal disruption to the corneal nerves and tear film.
Corneal stability
More of the cornea's natural strength is preserved.
Myopia & astigmatism
Can correct short-sightedness and astigmatism.
Fast recovery
Most patients return to work within 2–3 days.
Could this treatment be relevant for you?
SMILE Pro may be relevant for adults with a stable prescription. At the free assessment, we take thorough measurements to clarify whether the treatment may be relevant for you.
ReLEx SMILE can be used for larger refractive errors. Short-sighted patients up to −8 dioptres can be treated with ReLEx SMILE. A thinner cornea is not a problem either, as the cornea remains intact with ReLEx SMILE and tissue removal does not go as deep. For those with dryness symptoms, this treatment is gentler than Femto-LASIK.
- You are over 20 and your prescription has been stable for at least 12 months
- You are short-sighted (myopia), with or without astigmatism
- You have healthy eyes free from significant disease
- You may have thinner corneas or a tendency to dry eyes
- You want a minimally invasive, flapless procedure
Suitability guide
Which options might be relevant for you?
Four quick questions for a first, no-obligation indication of which treatments may be relevant based on your answers.
Anonymous and non-binding. This is guidance, not a medical assessment or diagnosis.
Recovery & aftercare
Recovery after SMILE Pro is typically quick and comfortable. You will be given antibiotic eye drops to use for about a week, along with lubricating drops as needed. Most people return to work within two to three days and to light exercise within a few days.
After the treatment, you will need to use antibiotic and lubricating eye drops for a period. You will typically be able to return to work after 1–2 days, depending on the nature of your work. You should wait three days before resuming sporting activities and about two weeks before visiting a swimming pool or sauna, to limit the risk of infection.
Follow-up checks are carried out after the treatment. These are most often scheduled after about one day, one week and six weeks.
To protect your eyes as they heal, avoid rubbing them, and refrain from swimming and saunas for around two weeks. You may drive again once a follow-up check has confirmed that your vision meets the legal standard.
Learn more at our free webinars and information evenings
We regularly hold information evenings and webinars where our eye doctors explain the treatments at EuroEyes and answer questions.
“Many patients describe the moment afterwards as a quiet shift – simply waking up and seeing the world clearly, without reaching for glasses or lenses.”Dr. Jørn Slot Jørgensen – Founder, Medical Director and CEO of EuroEyes
Expert care at EuroEyes
What our patients say
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Frequently asked questions
How does SMILE Pro differ from LASIK?
The corneal opening in SMILE Pro is far smaller (around 2 mm) than the flap created in LASIK (around 20 mm). The stability of the cornea is therefore less affected, and flap-related complications are avoided.
Is it suitable if I have dry eyes?
SMILE Pro may be relevant if you are prone to dry eyes, because the treatment is flapless and affects fewer corneal nerves. Whether the treatment is relevant for you is established at the assessment.
How long does the treatment take?
You are in the clinic for around an hour, but the laser itself works for only a matter of seconds per eye.
Is the result permanent?
SMILE Pro permanently changes the shape of the cornea. The result is usually stable long term, but natural age-related changes such as presbyopia can still occur later in life.
When can I drive again?
Usually within a few days, once a follow-up check has confirmed that your vision meets the legal driving standard.
Is there an age limit for laser eye treatment?
Yes, you must be at least 18 years old to have laser eye treatment.
How long must my prescription be stable before treatment?
Before the treatment, your prescription should normally have been stable for one to two years. At the assessment, we take the necessary measurements.
Can you see sharply immediately after the treatment?
Many people notice a clear improvement in their vision on the same day as the treatment. Vision stabilises gradually in the period after the treatment.
What about complications?
At EuroEyes, we work to high quality and hygiene standards, and the risk of complications from laser eye treatment is small. To support good healing, it is important that you follow the guidance and attend the agreed check-ups. Any side effects are usually short-lived and treatable.
When can I wear make-up, go swimming and use the sauna again?
After one week, you can usually wear make-up again. After 2–3 weeks, you can bathe in both sea water and chlorinated water. Exercise such as running can be resumed after 2–4 days, while strength training and contact sports can be resumed after 2–3 weeks.
Can a laser treatment make you blind?
The risk of serious complications is very small, because the treatment takes place in the cornea and not near the optic nerve. At EuroEyes, we work to high quality and hygiene standards.
When can I go back to work after a ReLEx SMILE Pro treatment?
You will typically be able to return to work after 1–2 days, depending on the nature of your work.
Arrange your free assessment
Book a free, no-obligation assessment and find out whether ReLEx SMILE Pro may be relevant for you.
