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„SMILE pro – The best decision I ever made!“

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Der Femtosekundenlaser VISUMAX 800 von Zeiss bei Premium Eyes.
SMILE Pro eye laser in 10 seconds?

The VISUMAX 800 makes it possible.

SMILE® pro eye laser is even better for patients than ReLEx SMILE

Since January 2022, we have been one of 5 reference centers worldwide to offer you the new SMILE® pro eye laser with the VISUMAX 800 (Zeiss). This will make you independent of glasses even faster. For a long time, laser eye surgery was not an option for many people - for fear of the LASIK flap. Fortunately, the SMILE® procedure has been around for about : painless, flapless and safer than traditional PRK, LASIK or Femto-LASIK. In 2011, Focus top physician Dr. Detlev R.H. Breyer was one of the first 10 users of ReLEx® SMILE worldwide and has personally already successfully performed over 5.000 SMILE surgeries.

State-of-the-art painless eye laser treatment with SMILE® pro

SMILE® pro (Zeiss) with the VISUMAX 800 is the most innovative form of eye laser surgery. It is the new SMILE, the first painless minimally invasive eye laser procedure in which the cornea remains intact except for a tiny incision of 2 - 3 mm. Numerous studies show that gentle eye laser surgery with SMILE is superior to LASIK and Femto-LASIK in terms of safety and stability of the eye, and has fewer side effects. And the best part about SMILE pro is that you won't make a mistake after surgery and can sleep peacefully. SMILE pro is even suitable for patients with higher refractive errors, thinner cornea or dry eyes. For this reason, it is the No. 1 eye laser procedure in our clinic for patients with contact lens problems. With the VISUMAX 800 we can offer you even more advantages.

"SMILE® pro with the VISUMAX 800 from Zeiss is even safer, more comfortable, more precise and significantly faster. A true revolution in eye laser surgery."

Dr. Detlev Breyer

Conventional LASIK or Femto-LASIK requires a large-scale opening of the upper corneal layer (flap). This circular lid is flipped open in both LASIK and Femto-LASIK to allow the laser to sculpt the underlying cornea. If you opt for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, or SMILE pro, this flap is not necessary. Therefore, you do not need to be afraid of laser eye surgery. The new SMILE pro is even safer, more comfortable, more precise and faster.has personally already successfully performed over 5.000 SMILE surgeries.

SMILE® pro - blazingly fast, minimally invasive and painless eye laser treatment

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SMILE pro mit dem VISUMAX 800 (Zeiss)

SMILE is short for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction. SMILE pro is now even faster, more precise and safer than the conventional ReLEx SMILE. In this eye laser surgery procedure, the femtosecond laser prepares a thin slice of the cornea (lenticule) inside the cornea to correct the refractive error. Subsequently, the surgeon removes the lenticule through a miniscule opening of only 3 mm.

Extensive opening of the topmost corneal layer (flap) is no longer required. Therefore, there are almost no restrictions after the eye laser operation; 20 minutes after the operation, you may even exercise, and taking showers is also permitted.

The advantages of SMILE pro

  • Minimally invasive procedure without flap
  • Painless during and after the operation
  • Laser procedure with the VISUMAX 800 approx. 10 seconds per eye
  • More secure than femto-LASIK
  • Highly precise and gentle during the operation
  • One femtosecond laser for the whole treatment
  • Soundless and odorless eye laser surgery procedure
  • Significantly less dry eyes after the operation
  • Particularly well-suited for patients with hypersensitivity to contact lenses
  • No flap-related risks, no tearing/shifting of the flap

READ MORE ABOUT ITS ADVANTAGES >

SMILE 2023 Update

8 Mio.

SMILE Procedures performed worldwide

1800

SMILE Surgeons in over 70 countries

997

Peer-reviewed Publications

13 Years

Experience with SMILE

Your specialist for SMILE® pro eye laser procedures

Portraitfoto von Dr. Detlev Breyer

Dr. Detlev Breyer

Ophthalmologist, eye surgeon and lead surgeon
(img: focus_siegel.set.png alt: Focus Top Mediziner Awards class: align-right-push) Dr. Breyer is Focus' top doctor for glasses-away eye laser surgery, presbyopia and cataracts. He is a member of the teaching faculty of large specialist associations, not only in Germany but also in Europe and the US. Since 2011, he has been reporting on his experiences with ReLEx® SMILE on international congresses. In 2014, his presentation on the comparison of femto-LASIK and ReLEx® SMILE at the congress of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ACSRS) received the prize of best presentation of the meeting. Since 2013, he has been included in the list of Focus-Top-Mediziner [list of top doctors curated by the magazine Focus]. Breyer has experience from over (term: erfahrung-aus) surgeries and is one of the first five users of SMILE pro eye laser since 2022.

Make an appointment

If you are interested in having the best vision without glasses, please feel free to make an appointment with Dr. Breyer for a non-binding individual consultation or preliminary examination. You can make an appointment by phone or e-mail. We are also happy to call you back. We are looking forward to your message.

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My Eye Laser Journey – Ann-Kathrin Götze

Ann-Kathrin Götze had herself lasered with the ReLEx SMILE procedure by Dr. Breyer. She talks about it in this video. Feel free to take a look.

Is SMILE just as precise and safe as LASIK or femto-LASIK?

The precision of SMILE has been proven in many scientific studies by now, most recently in a 5-year study presented by Prof. Blum and Prof. Sekundo. They have found hardly any worsening of quality of vision even 5 years after a SMILE operation.

With regard to safety, SMILE is superior not only to LASIK but also femto-LASIK since it does not involve cutting a flap. Side-effects are described significantly more frequently after LASIK procedures. Therefore, we are recommending the SMILE procedure to our patients if possible since the advantages definitely outweigh those of a LASIK procedure.

MORE ON SMILE VERSUS LASIK >

Is another laser procedure possible after SMILE?

Yes, this is possible, and as of late even with SMILE, i.e. without a flap. However, of 1,000 procedures performed in our practice, there were only three in which the result was not ideal. By the way, this rate can be significantly worse if you are treated by an unexperienced surgeon. Dr. Breyer has already performed over 5.000 SMILE operations and has been using the procedure as one of the first surgeons to do so since 2011. Incidentally, the role of a thorough preliminary examination with state-of-the-art technology allowing identification of risk factors is also not to be underestimated.

SMILE pays off in the long run

In the long run, the high precision and safety of the SMILE procedure will save you expenses for glasses or contact lenses - and also the flap-related side-effects or complications of conventional laser surgery procedures. Good to know: Thanks to extensive preliminary and follow-up examinations and the experience of our surgeon Dr. Breyer, your risks are minimized as far as possible. Your eyes should be worth it to you.

  • You will save the expenses for glasses and contact lenses
  • No flap-related risks
  • Safety due to experienced surgeons

Why does SMILE® have less risks than LASIK or femto-LASIK?

When you compare the risk profile of SMILE with those of LASIK and femto-LASIK, SMILE just does better: Contrary to LASIK, severe complications have not been reported with SMILE so far. This is attributed to two main reasons: Firstly, because there are no incisions made with a knife. Secondly, because SMILE forgoes the flap.

READ MORE ABOUT THE RISKS >

  • Teaserfoto Myopia (shortsightedness)

    Myopia

    Myopia occurs if the eyeball is too long and the rays of light do not to have their focus exactly on the retina but in front of it.

    learn more ›

  • Teaserfoto Astigmatism

    Astigmatism

    Astigmatism causes objects to be blurry both close-up and at a distance.

    learn more ›

Specialist literature

Energy Setting and Visual Outcomes in SMILE: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Liuyang Li, MD; Julie M. Schallhorn, MD; Jiaonan Ma, MD; Tong Cui, MD; Yan Wang, MD, PhD. in: Journal of Refractive Surgery. 2018;34(1):11-16 https://doi.org/10.3928/1081597X-20171115-01

Incidence and management of intraoperative complications during small-incision lenticule extraction in 3004 cases

Yan Wang, MD, PhD', Jiaonan Ma, MD, Jiamei Zhang, MD, Rui Dou, MD, Hui Zhang, MD, PhD, Liuyang Li, MD, PhD, Wei Zhao, MD, Pinghui Wei, MD, in: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, June 2017, Volume 43, Issue 6, Pages 796–802 doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrs.2017.03.039.

ZEISS Celebrates 1 Million SMILE Laser Vision Correction Procedures — PDF, 28.93 kB >

Pressemeldung der Fa. Zeiss aus dem Sept. 2017

Auswirkung verschiedener Percent-Tissue-altered-Werte auf das Behandlungsergebnis bei refraktiver Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx SMILE) – Impact of Different Percent Tissue Altered Values on Visual Outcome after Refractive Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx® SMILE)

Breyer DR, Hagen P, Kaymak H, Klabe K, Auffarth GU, Kretz FT; Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 2017 Jan; 234 (1):90-97 [Epub ahead of print] German. (link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27846649 text: PMID: 27846649).

Auswirkung erhöhter PTA-Werte auf das visuelle Ergebnis ein bis drei Jahre nach Refractive Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx) SMILE. — PDF, 5.01 MB >

Breyer DRH, Kaymak H, Klabe K, Kretz FTA, Auffarth GU, Hagen PR. in: Ophthalmologische Nachrichten 2017, DOC 2017 Kongressausgabe 1, S. 33-34.

ZEISS receives US FDA Approval for VisuMax SMILE vision correction procedure, the latest advancement in laser eye surgery — PDF, 51.56 kB >

Five-year results of Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx SMILE)

Blum M, Täubig K, Gruhn C, Sekundo W, Kunert KS. Br J Ophthalmol. 2016 Jan 8. pii: bjophthalmol-2015-306822. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2015-306822. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26746577.

Clinical Outcomes of Small Incision Lenticule Extraction with Accelerated Cross-Linking (ReLEx SMILE Xtra) in Patients with Thin Corneas and Borderline Topography

Ganesh S, Brar S. J Ophthalmol. 2015;2015:263412. doi: 10.1155/2015/263412. Epub 2015 Jun 28. PMID: 26221538; PMC ID: PMC4499409

Dry Eye Disease after Refractive Surgery – Comparative Outcomes of Small Incision Lenticule Extraction versus LASIK

Alexandre Denoyer, MD, PhD, Elise Landman, MD, Liem Trinh, MD, Jean-François Faure, MD, François Auclin, MD, Christophe Baudouin, MD, PhD, Ophthalmology 2015;122:669-676 2015 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.10.004. Epub 2014 Nov 22. PubMed PMID: 25458707

Influence of femtosecond lenticule extraction and small incision lenticule extraction on corneal nerve density and ocular surface: a 1-year prospective confocal, microscopic study

Ishii R, Shimizu K, Igarashi A, Kobashi H, Kamiya K. J, Refract Surg. 2015 Jan;31(1):10-5. doi: 10.3928/1081597X-20141218-01. PubMed PMID: 25599538.

SMILE Procedures With Four Different Cap Thicknesses for the Correction of Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism

Jose L. Güell, MD, PhD; Paula Verdaguer, MD; Gloria Mateu-Figueras, PhD; Daniel Elies, MD; Oscar Gris, MD, PhD; Mostafa A. El Husseiny, MD; Felicidad Manero, MD; Mercè Morral, MD, PhD, [J Refract Surg. 2015;31(9):580-585.], doi:10.3928/1081597X-20150820-02

Outcomes of small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) in low myopia.

Reinstein DZ, Carp GI, Archer TJ, Gobbe M. J Refract Surg. 2014 Dec;30(12):812-8. doi: 10.3928/1081597X-20141113-07. Erratum in: J Refract Surg. 2015 Jan;31(1):60. PubMed PMID: 25437479.

One-year refractive results, contrast sensitivity, high-order aberrations and complications after myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (ReLEx SMILE)

Sekundo W, Gertnere J, Bertelmann T, Solomatin I. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2014 May;252(5):837-43. doi: 10.1007/s00417-014-2608-4. Epub 2014 Mar 20. PMID: 24647595

Early corneal nerve damage and recovery following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)

Mohamed-Noriega K, Riau AK, Lwin NC, Chaurasia SS, Tan DT, Mehta JS. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014 Mar 25;55(3):1823-34. doi: 10.1167/iovs.13-13324. PubMed PMID: 24569584

Comparison of Visual and Refractive Outcomes Following Femtosecond Laser-Assisted LASIK With SMILE in Patients With Myopia or Myopic Astigmatism

Sri Ganesh, MS, DNB; Rishika Gupta, MS, [J Refract Surg. 2014;30(9):590-596.], doi:10.3928/1081597X-20140814-02, PubMed PMID: 25250415.

Refractive lenticule extraction: Transition and comparison of 3 surgical techniques

Marcus Ang, FAMS, FRCSEd, Jodhbir S. Mehta, FRCOph, Cordelia Chan, FRCSEd Hls M. Htoon, PhD, Jane C. W. Koh, Adv. Dip. Statistics, Donald T. Tan, FRCOph, J Cataract Refract Surg 2014: 40:1415-1424 2014 ASCRS und ESCRS

SMILE versus Femto-LASIK. Vergleich von optischer Abbildungsqualität sowie Effektivität und Sicherheit — PDF, 183.31 kB >

Breyer D., Der Augenspiegel, 06, 2013, 32-35

Early clinical outcomes, including efficacy and endothelial cell loss, of refractive lenticule extraction using a 500 kHz femtosecond laser to correct myopia

Kazutaka Kamiya, Akihito Igarashi, Rie Ishii, Nobuyuki Sato, Hiroyuki Nishimoto, Kimiya Shimizu, Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Volume 38, Issue 11, November 2012, Pages 1996-2002

Small-incision lenticule extraction for moderate to high myopia: Predictability, safety, and patient satisfaction

Original Research Article, Anders Vestergaard, Anders R. Ivarsen, Sven Asp, Jesper Ø. Hjortdal, J Cataract Refract Surg. 2012 Nov;38(11):2003-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2012.07.021. Epub 2012 Sep 14. PMID: 22981612

Results of small incision lenticule extraction: All-in-one femtosecond laser refractive surgery

Rupal Shah, MS, Samir Shah, M.Tech, Sayantan Sengupta, DO, From New Vision Laser Centers, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Jan 2011, Vol 37, Iss 1, Pages 127 – 137

First efficacy and safety study of femtosecond lenticule extraction for the correction of myopia: six-month results

Sekundo W, Kunert K, Russmann C, Gille A, Bissmann W, Stobrawa G, Sticker M, Bischoff M, Blum M. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2008;34:1513–1520. PMID: 18721712 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrs.2008.05.033.

Short-term outcomes of Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) for low, medium and high myopia.

Fernández J, MD; Valero A, MD; Martínez J, OD; Piñero DP, PhD; Rodríguez-Vallejo M, OD, Journal of Refractive Surgery 2015, 429, 1.