SMILE Eye Surgery Portland

Safe, Accurate, and Quick Visual Recovery

If you are nearsighted and looking for a vision correction procedure that is safe, accurate and has fast visual recovery, then SMILE laser eye surgery may be for you. Dr. Tersigni and his experienced team have helped many patients achieve visual freedom through the SMILE treatment and can help determine if it may be the right solution for you.

If you are not a candidate for LASIK, that doesn’t mean your hopes for saying goodbye to corrective lenses are over. Many patients who do not qualify for the LASIK procedure are great candidates for SMILE laser eye surgery. So, schedule your appointment with Dr. Tersigni today and find out how he and his team can help you achieve clear vision and freedom from contact lenses or glasses.

More About the SMILE Procedure

SMILE Laser Eye Surgery has been available in the United States since 2016, but has been available in 61 other countries worldwide since 2011. Dr. Tersigni is proud to offer this cutting-edge laser vision correction option for those who may not be candidates for LASIK surgery. Small incision lenticule extraction surgery is a minimally invasive procedure for nearsightedness involving one step and one laser that produces virtually the same results as LASIK.

During a SMILE procedure, your surgeon uses a computer-guided femtosecond laser that is highly focused to create a thin lenticule, or contact lens-shaped piece of corneal tissue, which is then removed through a small opening. This process reshapes the cornea and corrects any nearsightedness and astigmatism you might have. SMILE patients are able to resume normal activities the next day and start enjoying a life free from the constraints of glasses and contacts.

Who is a Good Candidate for SMILE Eye Surgery?

Many patients who make good candidates for SMILE laser eye surgery are those who did not qualify for LASIK. For example, if you have irregularly shaped or thin corneas, a pre-disposition to or suffer from chronic dry eye syndrome, or perform sports or jobs with the risk of direct contact to the eyes, you may be a good candidate for SMILE laser eye surgery.

Dr. Tersigni will help you decide which type of refractive surgery is best for you.

Is SMILE Eye Surgery painful?

Patients report that the SMILE procedure is extremely comfortable and relatively pain-free. On the day of the procedure, you may experience a mild sensation of something in your eye, in addition to tearing and burning for several hours after the procedure is over. These minor symptoms usually resolve for most patients within 24 hours.

Is SMILE More Effective Than LASIK?

It is impossible to make a blanket statement as to whether SMILE is more effective than LASIK, or any other vision correction procedure for that matter. Both procedures are extremely effective and safe at correcting vision and the accuracy of vision correction with SMILE is similar to LASIK. However, SMILE may be a better fit for some people due to their lifestyle or eye type. As a fellowship trained refractive surgeon with experience in LASIK and all of its modern alternatives, Dr. Tersigni will be able to determine which vision correction procedures will be most effective for your specific circumstances and help you achieve the visual outcome you desire.

What Are the Limitations of SMILE Eye Surgery?

The most significant limitation of SMILE Eye Surgery is that certain prescriptions cannot be treated. SMILE can only correct nearsightedness and astigmatism which limits who can benefit from the procedure.

What is the cost of SMILE Eye Surgery?

The cost of SMILE eye surgery is less than what the average person would spend on glasses, contact lenses, solutions, and related exams over a lifetime. And that’s not even considering the other “costs” such as worrying about having enough contacts for a trip, time spent looking for or replacing lost glasses, or having to deal with contact lens-related infections. With glasses and contacts, you are renting your vision over time. With SMILE, or any of our other modern vision correction solutions, you get to own your vision. Use our vision correction calculator to see for yourself how affordable SMILE can be.

How Long Does the SMILE Procedure Take?

While the SMILE laser is extremely fast and can complete the laser treatment in about 23 seconds, the whole procedure usually takes about 15 minutes from beginning to end. Dr. Tersigni’s team will tell you how long you should plan to be in the office for your SMILE procedure prior to the day of your surgery.

What is the Recovery Time for SMILE Eye Surgery?

Each person is unique and will recover differently, but most patients experience 20/20 vision within one to two days after surgery. There are no restrictions after surgery, and with a fast visual recovery, most patients can return to an active lifestyle, including wearing makeup and working out the next day.

Is SMILE Eye Surgery safe?

SMILE laser eye surgery is a very safe and effective procedure and patient satisfaction rates for SMILE are exceptional. In general, laser vision correction procedures are considered safer than a lifetime of wearing contact lenses.

What Are the Main Differences Between SMILE Eye Surgery and LASIK?

The main difference between SMILE and LASIK has to do with the lasers that are used. SMILE laser eye surgery uses one laser to both create an opening and reshape the cornea, whereas two lasers are required in LASIK. SMILE and LASIK can produce virtually the same visual acuity when correcting nearsightedness and astigmatism.

Does the SMILE Procedure Cause Dry Eyes?

Some studies show that in some patients there is less of a risk of dry eyes after SMILE laser eye surgery than with other types of laser vision correction. As with any kind of surgery, every person’s body will respond differently. Overall, the risk of dry eye complications is relatively low. Most SMILE patients experience minimal side effects and find the procedure’s benefits far outweigh the possible side effects.

Schedule Your Vision Correction Experience

Let our experienced team at Tersigni Vision help you determine which vision correction solution is right for you. Call us today to schedule your comprehensive evaluation to see if you are the perfect candidate for SMILE Eye Surgery. Visual freedom really can be yours!

Dr. Steven Tersigni is a refractive surgeon offering LASIK and five LASIK alternatives in the Portland, Oregon area. In addition to providing customized care to each of his patients, Dr. Tersigni is an educator and researcher He obtained both his medical degree and a master’s degree in public health from Tulane University. He has been published in national journals and has been involved in 10 U.S. FDA trials.