Is Silk Eye Surgery Good for Eyes?

Explore whether Silk eye surgery is beneficial for your vision; authoritative insights on its effectiveness and safety.

Silk eye surgery, also known as Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE), is an innovative laser eye surgery technique. It’s designed to correct visual impairment conditions like nearsightedness and astigmatism. Unlike traditional methods such as LASIK, SMILE involves creating a tiny incision in the cornea, minimizing the risk of dry eyes and corneal weakening. The procedure involves reshaping the cornea to improve vision, and it’s renowned for its minimal invasiveness, precision, and quick recovery time. Studies have shown that SMILE is a safe and effective procedure for vision correction. The reports show that 85-90% of patients who undergo SMILE achieve 20/20 vision or better without glasses or contacts.  But the big question is, is Silk eye surgery good for eyes?

The answer to this question depends on various factors, including your overall eye health and the severity of your vision impairment. Let’s understand the factors better.

Factors determine Silk eye surgery is good for your eyes

• Your age: Silk eye surgery is typically only recommended for adults over the age of 18.
• Your overall health: You should be in good overall health before undergoing Silk eye surgery. This includes having no serious medical conditions, such as diabetes or autoimmune disorders.
• The health of your eyes: You should have a stable refractive error for at least six months before undergoing Silk eye surgery. It would be best if you also had a healthy cornea that is thick enough to withstand the procedure. If you have dry eyes or thin corneas, Silk eye surgery may not be the best option for you.
• Your lifestyle: If you are active and participate in sports, you may be a good candidate for Silk eye surgery. This is because Silk eye surgery has a shorter recovery time than other laser vision correction procedures. However, if you have a job or lifestyle that puts your eyes at risk of injury, consider other options.
• Your expectations: It’s crucial to have realistic expectations about the results of Silk eye surgery. While it can significantly improve your vision, you may need more than perfect vision. You may still need glasses or contact lenses for certain activities, such as reading or driving at night.

If you have any concerns about whether Silk eye surgery is right for you, be sure to talk to your doctor. They can assess your individual needs and risks and help you decide if Silk eye surgery is the right choice for you.

Factors make Silk eye surgery less desirable for certain patients

• Thin cornea: Silk eye surgery removes a small amount of corneal tissue, so it is not recommended for patients with thin corneas.
• Dry eyes: Silk eye surgery can sometimes cause dry eyes, so it may not be the best option for patients with pre-existing dry eye syndrome.
• Higher-order aberrations: Silk eye surgery is not as effective as other laser vision correction procedures for correcting higher-order aberrations.

If you have any of these factors, your doctor may recommend a different laser vision correction procedure, such as ZEISS SMILE Pro surgery.

ZEISS SMILE Pro surgery is a newer laser vision correction procedure that offers several advantages over Silk eye surgery, including:

• Less corneal tissue removal: SMILE Pro removes even less corneal tissue than Silk eye surgery, which can lead to a faster recovery time and a lower risk of dry eyes.
• More precise correction of refractive errors: SMILE Pro uses a femtosecond laser to create a lenticule, which is a thin disc of corneal tissue that is then removed with a small incision. This allows for a more precise correction of refractive errors than Silk eye surgery, which uses a blade to create a flap in the cornea.
• Better correction of higher-order aberrations: SMILE Pro is more effective than Silk eye surgery at correcting higher-order aberrations, which are imperfections in the cornea that can cause blurred vision, glare, and halos.
• Faster recovery time: Patients who undergo SMILE Pro surgery recover within 24 hours, and many are able to return to work or school the next day. This is significantly faster than the recovery time for Silk eye surgery, which can take several days or even weeks.

In addition to these advantages, SMILE Pro is also a fully robotic procedure, which means that it is more precise and consistent than Silk eye surgery, which a human surgeon performs.

ZEISS SMILE Pro surgery is a better choice than Silk eye surgery for most patients. It offers several advantages, including less corneal tissue removal, more precise correction of refractive errors, better correction of higher-order aberrations, faster recovery time, and a fully robotic procedure.