In short: SMILE Pro (small-incision lenticule extraction) on the ZEISS VISUMAX 800 corrects short-sightedness and astigmatism without cutting a corneal flap. The laser shapes a thin disc of tissue (a lenticule) entirely inside your intact cornea in about 10 seconds, and the surgeon removes it through a keyhole 2–3 mm incision. The result is a flapless, biomechanically stronger cornea with less post-operative dry eye than LASIK. No clinic that receives enquiries through Eye Surgery Clinic publishes a SMILE Pro price; Precision Vision London (Harley Street) lists SMILE from £2,550 per eye, and other clinics quote after a consultation.
What SMILE Pro is and who it suits
Traditional LASIK creates a hinged flap in the surface of the cornea, lifts it, reshapes the tissue beneath with an excimer laser, then lays the flap back down. SMILE Pro skips the flap entirely. A single femtosecond laser sculpts a precise lenticule within the intact cornea, which is then drawn out through a tiny side incision — so the corneal surface stays almost entirely undisturbed. Because no flap is ever created, there is no lifelong risk of flap dislocation, the cornea retains more of its natural strength, and fewer surface nerves are cut, which means less dry eye.
That profile makes SMILE Pro especially well suited to active people, contact-sport athletes and anyone in a dusty or hands-on job, as well as patients with a tendency to dry eye or those who simply want the most tissue-sparing option. Under its current CE-marked indication it treats short-sightedness from −0.50 to −10.00 D and astigmatism up to −5.00 D in adults aged 21+ with a stable prescription.
It is not for everyone. SMILE Pro does not currently treat long-sightedness (hyperopia) or presbyopia, and it cannot be done where the cornea is too thin or shows any sign of keratoconus. Those patients are usually offered LASIK, PRESBYOND blended vision or an implantable contact lens (ICL). Your consultant confirms suitability with corneal scans.
Your laser & lens options
SMILE Pro leads for flapless myopia and astigmatism correction. Here is how it compares with the main alternatives your consultant may discuss. The prices below are Precision Vision London’s published per-eye starting prices, read on 7 October 2026; other clinics quote after a consultation.
Not sure whether SMILE Pro, LASIK or an implantable lens is right for your prescription and cornea? A consultant assessment with corneal scans gives you a clear, personalised answer.
How SMILE Pro is done
SMILE Pro is a quick outpatient procedure under anaesthetic eye drops only — no needles, no general anaesthetic and no overnight stay. You will be in the clinic for around 2–3 hours on the day, but the laser itself takes only minutes.
You lie back under the ZEISS VISUMAX 800 and a soft curved contact glass gently docks onto your eye. The system’s CentraLign and OcuLign software lock onto your visual axis and correct for any eye rotation. The femtosecond laser then fires at low energy for about 10 seconds, creating a precise lenticule of tissue within your cornea plus a small 2–3 mm side incision. The surgeon gently separates and removes the lenticule through that opening — reshaping your cornea with no flap created or repositioned. The eye is rinsed, and you move to recovery. Total laser-room time for both eyes is usually 8–15 minutes.
Recovery and what to expect
First 24–48 hours
Eyes are commonly gritty and watery for a few hours, then settle to mild dryness. Rest with eyes closed; use the drops provided.
Day 1
Most people meet the DVLA driving standard at the day-1 review and drive home. Vision is already functional and sharpens daily.
Weeks 1–3
Back to the gym from day 2–3, non-contact sport from week 1, swimming and contact sport from week 2–4. Night halos ease over 2–6 weeks.
3 months
The cornea has fully stabilised and your correction is permanent. Long-term SMILE data show stability to 5–10 years.
How much SMILE Pro costs
No clinic that receives enquiries through Eye Surgery Clinic publishes a price for SMILE Pro by name, so there is no SMILE Pro figure we can quote. The nearest published figure is for SMILE: Precision Vision London, at 22A Harley Street, lists SMILE from £2,550 per eye, performed by Dr Radwan Almousa; Dr Almousa confirmed in October 2026 that the clinic performs SMILE on the ZEISS VisuMax femtosecond laser. Precision Vision London’s laser eye surgery consultation is free, with a £100 holding fee refunded when you attend and meet the eligibility checks. Sapphire Eye Care, the other clinic group we list, does not offer laser eye surgery.
Other UK clinics quote after a consultation. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists says a clinic should be clear from the outset about the total cost, which normally includes follow-up visits and treatment for any problems resulting from surgery. Precision Vision London includes any enhancement needed within its 12-month aftercare programme; other clinics set their own cover, so ask how long it lasts before you book. Compare treatments on the laser eye surgery hub or see the full price list.
Laser eye surgery to correct ordinary short sight or astigmatism is not normally available on the NHS, and private medical insurance does not usually cover it, so SMILE Pro is a self-pay treatment.
Source: Precision Vision London pricing, read 7 October 2026.
SMILE Pro FAQs
No clinic that receives enquiries through Eye Surgery Clinic publishes a SMILE Pro price. Precision Vision London lists SMILE from £2,550 per eye; its laser eye surgery consultation is free, with a £100 holding fee refunded when you attend. Other clinics quote after a consultation; ask what the total cost includes and how long fine-tuning treatment is covered.
Neither is universally better — both are gold-standard procedures. SMILE Pro is flapless, with a small 2–3 mm incision, slightly less dry eye and a biomechanically stronger cornea, which suits active patients, contact-sport athletes and anyone concerned about long-term flap stability. LASIK has a marginally faster final-clarity timeline and can treat long-sightedness and presbyopia (via PRESBYOND), which SMILE Pro cannot. The right answer depends on your prescription, ocular surface, lifestyle and surgeon assessment.
Under the current expanded CE-marked indication, SMILE Pro on the ZEISS VISUMAX 800 treats short-sightedness from −0.50 D to −10.00 D and astigmatism up to −5.00 D in adults aged 21+ with a prescription stable for at least 12 months and a healthy, adequately thick cornea. It does not currently treat long-sightedness or presbyopia, and is unsuitable in keratoconus or thin corneas — those patients are usually offered LASIK, PRESBYOND, ICL or refractive lens exchange.
Most patients meet the UK DVLA driving-vision standard at the day-1 review and drive home from that appointment (always confirm with your surgeon first). Light cardio and weights resume from day 2–3, non-contact sport from week 1, swimming and contact sport from week 2–4. Because SMILE Pro is flapless there is no lifelong flap-dislocation risk, unlike LASIK.
Mild transient dryness in the first 4–12 weeks is common after any laser refractive procedure. The published evidence consistently shows SMILE / SMILE Pro causes less and shorter post-operative dry eye than LASIK, because the small incision disrupts fewer corneal nerves. Lubricant drops are used for 4–12 weeks, and any pre-existing dry eye is treated before surgery.
Not normally. The NHS does not fund laser vision correction for ordinary short sight or astigmatism, and private medical insurance does not usually cover it, so most patients pay for SMILE Pro themselves. Ask your clinic for a written quotation that states the total cost before you book.