SMILE Pro and PRESBYOND Questions, by Procedure
Independent Clinic verification in progress Medical review pending Updated
The SMILE Pro and PRESBYOND questions this site answers, each on its own page and filed under the procedure and the part of the decision it belongs to.
Quick answer
71 questions about SMILE Pro and PRESBYOND, each with a page of its own. They are grouped by procedure, then by the part of the decision they belong to: what the treatment is, whether it suits you, what it costs, how recovery goes, what can go wrong, and how to choose a clinic in Dubai.
General information rather than advice about your own eyes. Anything specific to you needs an examination.
- Questions
- 71
- Procedures
- 2
- Each has a page
- Yes
- Search all questions
- On the knowledge base
Looking for something else? The vision knowledge base answers four hundred and eighty-three questions about laser surgery, conditions, lenses and everyday eye health, and it is searchable.
SMILE Pro and SMILE
The lenticule procedure this site is about, and the SMILE and LASIK questions readers arrive with.
SMILE Pro basics
What the procedure is, what it corrects, and how it relates to SMILE and LASIK.
Technology & terminology
Platform names, brand vocabulary, and what a clinic is actually claiming.
During the procedure
What happens in the treatment room and what patients report feeling.
Eligibility & assessment
The factors an ophthalmologist assesses before agreeing to operate.
- Who is eligible for SMILE Pro?
- How stable does my prescription need to be?
- Can SMILE Pro correct short-sightedness (myopia)?
- Can SMILE Pro correct astigmatism?
- Can SMILE Pro correct long-sightedness (hyperopia)?
- Is there an age limit for SMILE Pro?
- Can I have SMILE Pro if I have dry eyes?
- Can I have SMILE Pro if I have had previous eye surgery?
- Can I have SMILE Pro while pregnant or breastfeeding?
- Do autoimmune or immune conditions affect eligibility?
Cost & clinics in Dubai and the UAE
How refractive surgery is priced, and how to compare quotes properly.
Recovery & everyday life
Driving, work, exercise, swimming, travel and screen use afterwards.
Safety, risks & side effects
What is commonly reported, what is uncommon, and what is rare.
- Is SMILE Pro safe?
- What are the side effects of SMILE Pro?
- What are the risks of SMILE Pro?
- Can SMILE Pro cause dry eyes?
- Is SMILE Pro better than LASIK?
- Does SMILE Pro permanently correct vision, or can it change?
- How good are SMILE Pro results?
- Can SMILE Pro be repeated if the result is not enough?
Choosing a clinic or surgeon
How to check credentials, ask useful questions and spot sales pressure.
PRESBYOND and reading vision
Laser blended vision for presbyopia: how it is planned, who it suits, and what adaptation involves.
PRESBYOND and presbyopia
Laser blended vision, reading vision after 40, adaptation, and the questions that decide whether it is worth an assessment.
- What is PRESBYOND Laser Blended Vision?
- How does PRESBYOND work?
- Is PRESBYOND a type of LASIK?
- Will I still need reading glasses after PRESBYOND?
- Is there an age limit for PRESBYOND?
- Can I have PRESBYOND if I had LASIK before?
- Is PRESBYOND suitable if I have cataracts?
- Is PRESBYOND the same as monovision?
- Can PRESBYOND affect depth perception?
- Why might two surgeons recommend different options?
- Why do lights look different at night after PRESBYOND?
- What happens if I do not adapt to blended vision?
- Which symptoms after PRESBYOND need urgent attention?
- How long does PRESBYOND recovery take?
- When can I drive after PRESBYOND?
- Will I be able to use a computer comfortably after PRESBYOND?
- How long do PRESBYOND results last?
- Can PRESBYOND be reversed?
- How much does PRESBYOND cost in Dubai?
- What should a PRESBYOND quote include?
- Does health insurance in the UAE cover PRESBYOND?
- How is PRESBYOND different from lens replacement?
- Are reading glasses a reasonable alternative to PRESBYOND?
- When might it be better to wait before having PRESBYOND?
Each question describes what is generally true, and two people asking the same one can receive different answers. Whether any of it applies to your eyes depends on measurements taken during an examination.
Subjects this guide covers
- SMILE Pro
The current generation of the SMILE platform, built around a faster laser and an automated centring step. The clinical idea is unchanged: a lenticule is removed through a small incision.
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
- Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
The equivalent clinical reference chapter for LASIK, used so that comparisons describe both procedures symmetrically.
Used for How LASIK creates and manages a corneal flap; LASIK complication categories.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- ZEISS VISUMAX 800
The manufacturer’s own product page for the femtosecond laser platform used for SMILE pro.
Used for What describes the technology behind SMILE pro; The distinction between SMILE and SMILE pro; Claimed workflow features such as automated centration.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Dubai Health Authority: Sheryan licensing and Dubai Medical Registry
The Dubai Health Authority’s licensing portal, including the public medical registry used to check that a facility and a practitioner hold a current Dubai licence.
Used for How to verify a Dubai clinic licence; How to verify a surgeon’s licence and scope of practice; Regulatory context for the Dubai guide.
Link checked 22 September 2026