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Our surgical team at Gulfcoast Eye Care is proud to be the Tampa area’s only provider of SMILE® refractive surgery, the latest and most advanced LASIK alternative on the market. Although both procedures have their benefits, we’re excited to offer seamless, comfortable vision correction to more patients than ever before using SMILE!
Michael H. Manning, M.D., F.A.C.S., is our lead eye surgeon, a pioneer in the field of refractive surgery, and a vocal proponent of SMILE vision correction. It’s his experience and trust in LASIK that lends such credit to his belief in this new evolution of refractive vision correction, and to his ability to provide the same life-changing results with SMILE that he has with LASIK for so many patients.
Both LASIK and PRK involve reshaping the cornea, which is the frontmost layer of the eye that helps to focus light into the eye. However, SMILE — Small Incision Lenticule Extraction — is revolutionary for its ability to get the same results in a minimally invasive way. An ultraprecise femtosecond laser is used to create a “lenticule,” a small disc of tissue under the surface layer of the cornea, which is then removed through a tiny microincision. This corrects mild to severe nearsightedness, and has a few unique advantages:
Most likely! SMILE surgery is a great option for treating myopia, particularly if you have sensitive eyes. Since SMILE surgery does not create a flap in the corneal tissue like LASIK, it’s an ideal procedure for patients who live active lifestyles or work in physically demanding occupations.
However, in order to qualify for SMILE surgery, you must be at least 22 years old, nearsighted with minimal astigmatism, in overall good eye and cornea health, and have a stable vision prescription for at least a year. We can tell you more during your consultation!
Gulfcoast Eye Care uses the ZEISS VisuMax® femtosecond laser, one of the most precise lasers on the market, to conduct SMILE surgery using a single piece of incredible technology.
We believe in giving each patient the safest, most effective eye care possible, so we incorporate advanced solutions into all aspects of our treatment. From our initial eye exam and precise diagnostics to offering leading solutions to surgery side effects like dry eye with LipiFlow, Gulfcoast Eye Care is proud to be at the cutting edge of technology to enhance your vision.
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