SMILE — Small Incision Lenticule Extraction — is the third generation of laser vision correction, following PRK and LASIK. Patients researching the best SMILE surgery in Delhi are usually comparing two things: which centre has the correct laser platform for SMILE, and which surgeon has genuine, verifiable experience performing it. Bajaj Eye Care Centre in Pitampura was the first laser vision correction centre in the whole of North and East Delhi to offer SMILE using the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser — the only laser platform in the world that is validated and used for SMILE surgery.
This page sets out, in specific clinical terms, what SMILE actually is, how the Zeiss VisuMax performs it, who is a suitable candidate, and what recovery genuinely looks like — so that the decision to choose a SMILE centre in Delhi is based on facts rather than advertising language.
SMILE stands for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction. It is an all-laser, one-step, minimally invasive procedure used to correct myopia (short-sightedness) and myopic astigmatism. Unlike LASIK, which requires two separate laser steps — flap creation and then ablation — SMILE uses only the femtosecond laser, in a single step, to both create and remove a precisely calculated disc of corneal tissue called the lenticule.
During the procedure, the Zeiss VisuMax computer-guided laser cuts the lenticule within the stroma — the middle layer of the cornea — to a shape and thickness that is mathematically equivalent to the patient's refractive error. The lenticule is then removed through a single small incision of 2 to 3 mm, made by the same laser. Removing this tissue reshapes the corneal curvature, correcting the patient's vision. No flap is lifted at any point in the procedure — this is what makes SMILE a flapless technique.
LASIK requires a corneal flap covering roughly 18–20 mm of the corneal circumference to be created and then lifted before the excimer laser can reshape the tissue underneath. SMILE requires none of this. The lenticule is accessed and removed entirely through a 2–3 mm incision, leaving the surrounding corneal structure — including the anterior nerve layer — far less disturbed.
The wide flap cut in LASIK severs a significant number of the anterior corneal nerves that trigger reflex tear secretion, which is the recognised clinical reason LASIK carries a documented risk of post-operative dry eye, particularly in patients with a borderline tear film. Because SMILE avoids creating this flap altogether, published data on the procedure shows a lower incidence of dry eye symptoms in the months following surgery compared to LASIK.
The laser portion of SMILE — cutting the lenticule — takes approximately 30 to 35 seconds per eye. Patients typically report minimal discomfort during the procedure, and meaningful vision improvement is usually noticeable within 24 hours.
The cornea provides roughly two-thirds of the eye's total refractive power. Light passes through the cornea, is bent (refracted), and continues through the lens to focus on the retina. Changing the curvature of the cornea changes how strongly it refracts light — which is exactly what SMILE achieves by removing the lenticule from within the corneal stroma. Because the lenticule's size and shape are calculated precisely to match the patient's dioptric power (spectacle number), the correction achieved is mathematically matched to that individual's prescription, not a standardised treatment applied to every patient.
Minimum age 18 years, with prescription stability for at least 12 months. Myopia or myopic astigmatism within the treatable range. Adequate corneal thickness confirmed by pachymetry. No keratoconus or other corneal ectasia on corneal topography. Tear film assessed and confirmed adequate before proceeding.
SMILE is particularly well suited to patients with physically active lifestyles or professions — because there is no flap, the long-term biomechanical stability of the cornea after SMILE is superior to LASIK, which is a meaningful consideration for anyone involved in contact sports or physically demanding work. It is also often preferred for patients with borderline dry eye, where a LASIK flap would be more likely to worsen symptoms.
Most patients notice a marked improvement in vision within 24 hours of the procedure. Return to office and screen-based work is typically possible within 3 to 4 days. Light exercise can usually resume after about a week, while swimming and contact sports are generally advised to wait a minimum of four weeks. Because no flap exists to dislodge, patients undergoing SMILE have one less specific complication to worry about during the recovery period compared to LASIK patients.
Being first to install a piece of equipment means little without the surgical experience to use it well. Dr. Rajiv Bajaj has led SMILE surgery at Bajaj Eye Care Centre since the centre became the first in North and East Delhi to offer it, operating from the same NABH-accredited Pitampura address that has served patients since 1996. Every SMILE candidate is personally evaluated by Dr. Bajaj before any surgical recommendation is made, and every procedure is performed by him directly.
Full SMILE procedure page: SMILE Laser Eye Surgery at Bajaj Eye Care Centre
Compare with Blade-Free LASIK: Blade-Free LASIK
All answers below are specific and fact-based. No generalised statements, no hypothetical outcomes.
SMILE stands for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction — a flapless, all-laser procedure for correcting myopia and myopic astigmatism.
Bajaj Eye Care Centre, Pitampura, was the first laser vision correction centre in North and East Delhi to offer SMILE using the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser.
LASIK requires two laser steps and a wide corneal flap of roughly 18–20 mm. SMILE uses one laser step and removes a lenticule through a 2–3 mm incision with no flap created at any stage.
The laser portion of SMILE — creating and preparing the lenticule for removal — takes approximately 30 to 35 seconds per eye.
Patients typically report minimal discomfort during SMILE, which is performed under topical (drop) anaesthesia.
Most patients notice meaningful visual improvement within 24 hours of the procedure.
Published data indicates that because SMILE avoids creating a wide corneal flap, fewer anterior corneal nerves are disrupted, resulting in a lower incidence of dry eye symptoms in the months following surgery compared to LASIK.
Patients under 18, those with an unstable prescription in the last 12 months, inadequate corneal thickness, keratoconus, or an untreated significant dry eye condition are not immediate candidates and require further evaluation or an alternative procedure.
Dr. Rajiv Bajaj personally evaluates every SMILE candidate and performs the surgery himself at the Pitampura centre.
Call +91-9811219959 or 011-47024919, WhatsApp +91-9811219959, or visit 101, Vikas Surya Plaza, Plot No-7, DDA Community Centre, Road No-44, Pitampura, New Delhi 110034, Monday to Saturday.
Bajaj Eye Care Centre was the first laser vision correction centre in North and East Delhi to offer SMILE on the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser — the only globally validated platform for this procedure. Flapless, blade-free, one-step surgery performed by Dr. Rajiv Bajaj at a single NABH-accredited address in Pitampura since 1996.
BEST SMILE SURGERY IN DELHI
Bajaj Eye Care Centre — Pitampura, New Delhi — Est. 1996 — NABH Accredited
SMILE (Zeiss VisuMax) | Blade-Free LASIK (Zeiss VisuMax + MEL 80) | Cataract MICS (Stellaris)
Retina | Glaucoma | Keratoconus C3R | Oculoplasty | Dry Eye | Paediatric Eye Care
CGHS | DGEHS | NDMC | MCD | DJB | GIPSA | 4.6 ★ Google (153 Reviews)
153 Google reviews101, Vikas Surya Plaza, Plot No -7, DDA Community Centre, Road No-44, Pitampura Delhi (Near M2K Picture Hall Pitampura, Rani Bagh, New Delhi, Delhi 110034
