Dr Moïse Tourabaly · Refractive surgery

SMILE: lenticule extraction

Enlarged cross-section of the cornea during the three steps of SMILE. Enlarged cross-section of the cornea, surface facing up. Step 1, the femtosecond laser cuts a lenticule, a disc of tissue, within the thickness of the stroma. Step 2, a micro-incision of a few millimetres is made at the surface. Step 3, the lenticule is extracted through this micro-incision and the cornea is reshaped. limbus limbus anterior chamber stroma cornea, cross-section in profile femtosecond laser · cutting the lenticule ≈ 3 mm surface micro-incision lenticule extracted, cornea reshaped

1. Sculpting the lenticule: the femtosecond laser cuts a thin disc of tissue (lenticule) within the thickness of the stroma.

2. Micro-incision: an opening of only a few millimetres is made at the surface of the cornea.

3. Extraction: the lenticule is removed through this micro-incision; the curvature of the cornea is thereby changed.

Lenticule Incision size

Diagram for educational purposes. It does not replace an ophthalmological examination. Results vary from one patient to another.