Generally, one successful SMILE Pro procedure is often sufficient to achieve the desired vision correction.
Achieving optimal vision correction with Refractive surgery like SMILE is typically a one-time event designed for long-term results. As highlighted in the provided information, "one successful SMILE Pro procedure is often sufficient to achieve the desired vision correction." The goal is to correct vision permanently or for an extended period with a single intervention.
Factors Influencing the Need for Additional Procedures
While the aim is often a single procedure, the ultimate answer can depend on various individual factors. These include:
- Individual Healing Response: How your eye heals after the initial surgery.
- Corneal Thickness: The amount of corneal tissue available, as SMILE removes a lenticule of tissue.
- Degree of Vision Correction Needed: More significant corrections require the removal of more corneal tissue.
The provided reference emphasizes that a clear answer "depends on several factors including one's individual healing response, corneal thickness, and the degree of vision correction needed."
Why One Procedure is Typically Sufficient
- Precise Correction: SMILE is designed for accurate and stable vision correction.
- Tissue Conservation: SMILE is often praised for conserving more corneal tissue compared to some other procedures, but it still removes tissue, limiting the potential for repeat treatments on the same spot.
- Stability: The results are generally stable over time, reducing the need for further intervention.
While enhancements or touch-up procedures are sometimes necessary after refractive surgery in general, the specific method used for such enhancements (like PRK or LASIK) after a SMILE procedure is not detailed in the provided reference. Based only on the reference, the focus is on the sufficiency of the initial successful SMILE Pro procedure.
Therefore, relying solely on the provided information, the standard expectation is that one successful SMILE procedure is usually all that is required to achieve the intended vision correction.