How experienced should a SMILE surgeon be?
Experienced in this procedure specifically, which is a different question from how long they have been an ophthalmologist. Lenticule extraction has a learning curve that is not identical to flap surgery, so the relevant number is how many of these they perform and how often.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- SMILE Pro
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Procedures
- SMILE Pro
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
What this answer depends on
- The volume of lenticule procedures the surgeon performs
- Whether they can describe how they handle a difficult case
- Whether the person who assesses you is the person who operates
Related guides
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision correction & laser eye surgery in SMILE Pro . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Procedure SMILE
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
- Comparison SMILE vs PRK
- Place SMILE in Dubai
- Procedure SMILE Pro
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE)
A continuously updated clinical reference chapter covering SMILE indications, technique, outcomes and complications, written for clinicians.
Used for How the lenticule is created and removed; Indications and contraindications; Complication categories; Corneal biomechanics compared with flap-based surgery.
Link checked 22 September 2026