SMILE — Small Incision Lenticule Extraction — is described as the third generation of laser vision correction, following PRK (the first generation) and LASIK (the second generation). Patients researching SMILE surgery in Delhi are often comparing it directly to LASIK, without a clear picture of exactly what makes the procedure different at a mechanical level. This page explains SMILE step by step.
As with any refractive procedure, SMILE candidacy is confirmed through a structured evaluation: corneal pachymetry to measure thickness, corneal topography to rule out keratoconus, tear film and dry eye assessment, and confirmation that the patient's prescription has been stable for at least 12 months. SMILE specifically treats myopia and myopic astigmatism within a defined treatable range.
Unlike LASIK, SMILE uses only one laser — the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser — for the entire procedure. The laser creates a precisely calculated disc of tissue within the stroma (the middle layer of the cornea), called the lenticule. The shape and thickness of this lenticule are mathematically calculated to match the patient's specific refractive error. This step takes approximately 30 to 35 seconds per eye.
Once the lenticule has been created, the surgeon removes it through a single small incision of 2 to 3 mm — also made by the same femtosecond laser. No flap is lifted at any stage of the procedure, which is the defining structural difference between SMILE and LASIK.
The cornea provides roughly two-thirds of the eye's total refractive power. Removing the lenticule changes the curvature of the cornea by an amount precisely equivalent to the patient's spectacle prescription, which corrects how light is focused onto the retina. Because this reshaping happens without a wide flap, the surrounding corneal architecture, including anterior nerve fibres, remains largely undisturbed.
Most patients notice a marked improvement in vision, with continued stabilisation over the following days.
Return to screen-based office work is typically possible within this window, subject to individual healing.
Light exercise can generally resume.
Swimming and contact sports are generally permitted from around this point, once confirmed at follow-up.
LASIK requires two lasers and a wide flap covering roughly 18–20 mm of the corneal circumference, which is lifted and later repositioned. SMILE uses a single laser and a 2–3 mm incision, with no flap created or lifted at any point. Because fewer anterior corneal nerves are disrupted in SMILE, published data shows a lower incidence of dry eye symptoms in the months following surgery compared to LASIK, and the long-term biomechanical stability of the cornea after SMILE is considered superior — relevant for physically active patients.
Bajaj Eye Care Centre was the first laser vision correction centre in North and East Delhi to offer SMILE, using the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser — the only globally validated system for this procedure. Every SMILE evaluation and surgery is performed personally by Dr. Rajiv Bajaj at the NABH-accredited Pitampura centre.
Full SMILE procedure page: SMILE Laser Eye Surgery at Bajaj Eye Care Centre
All answers below are specific and fact-based. No generalised statements, no hypothetical outcomes.
SMILE stands for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction and is considered the third generation of laser vision correction, following PRK and LASIK.
Only one — the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser is used for the entire procedure, unlike LASIK which uses two separate lasers.
A precisely calculated disc of corneal tissue created within the stroma by the femtosecond laser, sized and shaped to match the patient's refractive error.
Through a single small incision of 2 to 3 mm made by the same femtosecond laser — no flap is lifted at any stage.
Approximately 30 to 35 seconds per eye.
Because SMILE does not create a wide corneal flap, fewer anterior corneal nerves are disrupted, and published data links this to lower dry eye incidence in the following months.
Patients aged 18 or older with myopia or myopic astigmatism within the treatable range, stable prescription for at least 12 months, adequate corneal thickness, and no keratoconus.
Most patients notice meaningful improvement within 24 hours.
Bajaj Eye Care Centre was the first laser vision correction centre in North and East Delhi to offer SMILE, using the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser.
Call +91-9811219959 or 011-47024919, WhatsApp +91-9811219959, or visit Bajaj Eye Care Centre at 101, Vikas Surya Plaza, Plot No-7, DDA Community Centre, Road No-44, Pitampura, New Delhi 110034, Monday to Saturday.
Bajaj Eye Care Centre in Pitampura performs SMILE using the Zeiss VisuMax femtosecond laser, the only globally validated platform for this procedure, with every evaluation and surgery conducted personally by Dr. Rajiv Bajaj.
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
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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
