Zeiss’ SMILE Laser Eye Procedure Reaches 1M Milestone

The number of laser vision correction surgeries using Carl Zeiss Meditec AG’s SMILE refractive technology has now surpassed one million procedures worldwide, according to the company’s medical technology business group.

SMILE minimally invasive laser eye surgery, using advanced refractive technology from ZEISS, reaches one million milestone worldwide. Courtesy of ZEISS.

“Patients want quality of vision and a high level of safety,” said Dr. Joaquín Fernández from Qvision in Almere, Spain. “That’s why we choose SMILE. Small incision – great patient satisfaction.”

SMILE, small incision lenticule extraction, is an FDA-approved procedure that uses the VisuMax femtosecond laser. Surgeons create a thin disc-shaped lenticule within the cornea, which is then removed through a small incision on the surface of the cornea, thereby achieving the desired vision correction. It requires only one laser to perform the entire treatment, and due to the small incision, it leaves the outer corneal layer largely intact, thus potentially contributing to the cornea’s stability and the patient’s visual recovery.

“This one-millionth SMILE procedure represents not only a major milestone for refractive technology, it represents the dedication of surgeons around the world in advancing ophthalmic care for their patients,” said Ludwin Monz, president and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec. “We are pleased that so many patients around the world have been able to benefit from Zeiss’ technology and that Zeiss continues to support doctors with innovations to help them improve their patients’ vision and quality of life.”

Carl Zeiss Meditec provides complete packages of solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases including implants and consumable materials.