The most common laser eye surgery requires the creation of a flap on the Cornea with one laser and the lens correction with another. While this is incredibly safe with the best surgeons having a 98+ immediate 20/20 success rate, SMILE is performed differently.
SMILE is less invasive because only a small incision is made in the eye instead of creating a flap. This tiny slit allows for access to the middle layer of the 5 Cornea layers and it is then reshaped by removing a piece of the middle tissue which corrects the vision. Because of the way the surgery is performed it is best suited for near sightedness only and has a lower incidence of dry eyes.
SMILE tends to have a slghtly longer recovery time then regular Lasik. However, the procedure keeps the cornea stronegr so if you play any contacts sports or have important physical requirements, SMILE may ne better for you.