Eye surgery times can vary significantly depending on the specific procedure being performed. Two notably efficient procedures are Silk Eye Surgery and SMILE PRO. Both are minimally invasive, cutting-edge eye correction surgeries designed to be quick and uncomplicated. Understanding the duration of these procedures is critical for patients as they plan their schedule around the surgery. This section will delve into an in-depth discussion on the duration of Silk Eye Surgery and SMILE PRO, providing valuable insights for prospective patients and aiding in their pre-surgery planning.
SMILE Pro Eye Procedure:
SMILE Pro eye procedure is a relatively new type of refractive surgery approved by the FDA in 2016. Here are the key steps involved:
The procedure takes 10-15 minutes per eye. No stitches are required. Numbing eye drops are applied to the eye to reduce discomfort. A small incision (2-3mm) is made on the cornea’s surface. A femtosecond laser creates an ultra-thin lenticule (disc) of corneal tissue inside the cornea. The lenticule contains the amount of correction needed to treat the refractive error.
The surgeon uses surgical instruments to remove the lenticule through the small incision.
The incision is so small that it does not require stitches to close. It seals on its own within a few hours. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are prescribed for about a week post-surgery.
Visual recovery is quick, within 24-48 hours. Some patients experience sharp vision immediately after surgery. It incorporates iris registration and cyclotorsion control technology during the laser treatment. This helps ensure ultra-precise placement and centration of the lenticule. It uses a curved interface technique for creating the lenticule edges. This accounts for the normal shape of the cornea and is intended to yield a more uniform treatment.It has an optimized 6.5mm minimum lenticule diameter, which may provide a better quality of vision, especially at night.
The femtosecond laser has an updated eye-tracking system that follows eye movements 400 times per second. This enhances the accuracy of the laser pulses. Depending on the patient’s corneal thickness, it may treat higher degrees of myopia than standard SMILE, up to -10D. Visual recovery may be faster than standard SMILE.
Recovery and Post-Op Care for SMILE Pro:
- Mild discomfort, irritation, tearing, and light sensitivity are common during the first 1-3 days.
- Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops are used approximately four times daily for 5-7 days after surgery.
- Avoid swimming or dirty water exposure for 1-2 weeks.
- Most patients can return to computer work and reading within 2-4 days.
- Vision is expected to stabilize within 1-3 months.
- Follow-up exams with your eye doctor one day, week, month, and month post-op.
Silk Eye Surgery
Silk eye surgery is a minimally invasive laser vision correction procedure for treating nearsightedness (myopia) and astigmatism. It is similar to SMILE (small incision lenticule extraction) Pro surgery, but it uses a different type of laser and creates a smaller incision.
Procedure
- The patient lies on their back, numbing their eye with eye drops.
- A femtosecond laser creates a thin flap in the cornea and a lenticule of corneal tissue.
- The flap is lifted, and the lenticule is removed through a small incision.
- The flap is replaced, and the eye is patched.
The Silk eye surgery procedure takes about 10-15 minutes per eye. However, the entire process can take about 30-60 minutes, from preparation to recovery.
Recovery
Most patients experience a rapid recovery from Silk eye surgery. They can usually go home the same day and return to normal activities within a few days. However, following the post-operative instructions carefully is important to ensure a smooth healing process.
Recovery and Post-Op Care for Silk Surgery:
The recovery duration of Silk eye surgery varies from person to person, but most patients can expect to return to normal activities within a few days. However, following your ophthalmologist’s post-operative instructions is important to ensure a smooth healing process.
- Days 1-3: You may experience some discomfort, such as dryness, irritation, and light sensitivity. You may also have blurred or hazy vision. Your doctor will prescribe eye drops to help with the discomfort and dryness.
- Days 4-7: Your vision and discomfort should improve. You may still need to use eye drops, but you should be able to return to most of your normal activities.
- Weeks 1-2: Your vision should continue improving, and most of the discomfort should be gone. You may still need to use eye drops occasionally.
- Months 3-6: Your vision should be fully stabilized and clear. You may still have occasional dry eyes, but they should be mild.
Why is SMILE PRO faster than Silk eye surgery?
There are a few reasons why SMILE PRO is faster than Silk eye surgery:
- SMILE PRO does not require a corneal flap to be created. This eliminates one of the most time-consuming steps of LASIK surgery.
- SMILE PRO uses a single femtosecond laser to create and remove the lenticule. This eliminates the need to switch between different lasers, which can save time.
- SMILE PRO is a newer procedure, and surgeons have developed more efficient techniques for performing it over time. This allows them to complete the procedure faster.
