Glossary term
SMILE
Reference only — not medical advice. See disclaimer.
Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) is a flapless refractive laser surgery technique in which a femtosecond laser creates a disc-shaped piece of corneal tissue (lenticule) that is extracted through a small arc incision, reshaping the cornea to correct myopia or astigmatism without creating a corneal flap. It is associated with greater preservation of corneal biomechanical integrity compared to LASIK.