SNU Eye Clinic says not every patient is a match for SMILE surgery

SNU Eye Clinic in Seoul is warning that SMILE surgery is not the right option for every patient and says comprehensive eye exams are needed to choose the safest vision correction procedure. The clinic points to corneal thickness, eye anatomy and eye health as key factors in deciding between SMILE, SMILE Pro, ICL and other options.

Why it matters: - More patients are looking at SMILE surgery to reduce dependence on glasses and contact lenses. - SNU Eye Clinic says the procedure can deliver strong results, but the wrong fit can lead to poor outcomes or unnecessary risk. - The clinic is positioning full diagnostic screening as the deciding step before any laser vision correction.

What happened: - SNU Eye Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, said SMILE surgery should be chosen only after a comprehensive eye evaluation. - Dr. Chung Eui Sang, chief director of SNU Eye Clinic, said the safest and most effective treatment depends on each patient's eye condition. - Dr. Chung said SMILE surgery is safe and highly effective, but no single procedure works for every patient. - The clinic said it provides personalized vision correction programs for SMILE surgery, SMILE Pro and ICL surgery.

The details: - SMILE surgery uses the VisuMax 500 femtosecond laser system. - The procedure creates a thin lenticule inside the corneal stroma without making a large corneal flap. - The lenticule is removed through a small incision of about 2 mm to reshape the cornea and correct refractive errors. - Compared with LASIK and LASEK, SMILE preserves more of the corneal surface, which can support faster visual recovery and a lower risk of postoperative dry eye symptoms. - Eligibility depends on corneal thickness, corneal shape, intraocular pressure and the overall structure of the eye. - Patients need enough residual corneal thickness to keep the cornea structurally stable after surgery. - SMILE may not be appropriate for patients with insufficient corneal thickness, extremely high myopia or corneal diseases such as keratoconus. - Patients with Avellino corneal dystrophy are generally not suitable for laser vision correction and need individualized treatment planning. - When SMILE is not recommended, SNU Eye Clinic said alternatives can include LASEK, ICL surgery or SMILE Pro. - ICL surgery corrects vision without removing corneal tissue, which can make it useful for patients with thin corneas, high myopia or high astigmatism. - For high-astigmatism patients, the clinic said it analyzes the astigmatic axis and ocular rotational movement to build Zero Toric ICL plans aimed at reducing lens rotation and improving precision. - Dr. Chung is described by the clinic as a pioneering ophthalmologist who introduced SMILE surgery to Korea and took part in research on SMILE Pro. - Dr. Chung also helped with the early adoption and development of Toric Implantable Collamer Lens surgery in Korea. - SNU Eye Clinic said its international patient center offers multilingual consultations in English, Chinese, Mongolian and other languages.

Between the lines: - The message is less about promoting one procedure and more about screening patients into the right treatment path. - The clinic is also broadening its appeal to international patients seeking refractive surgery in South Korea. - By highlighting SMILE, SMILE Pro and ICL together, SNU Eye Clinic is signaling a full-service vision correction offering rather than a single-procedure focus.

What's next: - SNU Eye Clinic said it will continue expanding personalized vision correction programs for international patients. - Patients considering SMILE surgery are expected to undergo detailed testing before a treatment recommendation is made. - For patients who are not eligible for SMILE, the clinic is likely to steer them toward alternative procedures based on corneal and refractive findings.

The bottom line: - SMILE surgery can be highly effective, but SNU Eye Clinic says the real priority is matching each patient to the safest and most suitable vision correction option.