A college of Dr. Chynn inquired about the new SMILE ReLEX procedure
Q:
I have a friend in London with myopia (-1.75 & -2.75, Aet ~ 40 & female) considering refractive surgery.
Is it time for SMILE (1,2) or if it were your family member would you do LASIK … or PRK?
Any recommendations re surgeon – please contact me directly.Is there really less dry eye (3)?
A by Emil Chynn, MD:
My humble yet informed opinion as the 1st eye MD in NYC to get LASIK and having switched from incisional to non incisional surgery years ago:
at such a low rx, she should have LASEK, as there is 0 risk of making her see worse in well-trained hands, and there is no need to cut a flap for such a low Rx, and her chance of haze at such a low Rx is also 0, and she will heal quickly if it is a true LASEK not a PRK (defined as en bloc removal of epithelium, not whether you put it back or not, i suggest not after 20,000 surface ablations), and he chance of dry eyes or night glare will be lower than after any incisional surgery, and i don’t know why smile is all the rage except for marketing, having seen many and done 1 while in europe last year, and you cannot treat HOA or even cyl very well with smile, so isn’t it really a glorified ALK?
