Table of contents

• SMILE Eye Surgery at a Glance
• What Is SMILE Eye Surgery?
• Who Is a Good Candidate for SMILE Eye Surgery?
• How Is SMILE Eye Surgery Performed?
• Why Visit Korea for SMILE Eye Surgery?
• Key Information for International Patients
• Which Are the Best Clinics in Korea for Smile Eye Surgery?
• How Much Does SMILE Eye Surgery Cost in Korea?
• SMILE Eye Surgery From Start to Finish
• Alternatives to SMILE Eye Surgery
• How Can I Prepare for SMILE Eye Surgery?
• Aftercare Advice

Considering treatment in Korea? Everything you need to know e.g. — how to avoid scams, visas, interpreters, recovery tips — in our Medical Tourism Master Guide. Plan with confidence in minutes, not weeks!

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Last updated: September 2026

SMILE Eye Surgery at a Glance

• What it does — SMILE uses a femtosecond laser to create and remove a small disc of corneal tissue through a small incision, reducing myopia with or without myopic astigmatism without creating a large LASIK-style flap.
• Korea cost — SMILE eye surgery in Korea costs about ₩2,800,000–₩6,000,000 (approximately US$2,100–US$4,400); request an itemized quote covering testing, drops, postoperative reviews, records, and interpreter support if needed.
• Best candidates — Candidates generally have stable adult myopia for at least 1 year, healthy regular corneas with sufficient tissue, and manageable dry-eye or lid-surface disease; detailed corneal mapping and eye-health testing—not a prescription alone—determine suitability.
• Recovery timeline — Blur, tearing, light sensitivity, and discomfort are common for several hours, vision often sharpens over days 2–7, and dryness or fluctuation can continue for weeks; formal refractive results are commonly assessed at about 3 months or later.
• Korea travel plan — Plan 3–5 nights in Korea to allow in-person screening, treatment, and the essential next-day examination; fly home only after the operating ophthalmologist clears the day-1 review and a follow-up plan is arranged.
• Expectation and risk — SMILE permanently reshapes the cornea but does not guarantee perfect or lifelong glasses-free vision, prevent cataracts or retinal disease, or correct presbyopia; reading glasses commonly become necessary from around age 40.
• SMILE Pro distinction — Korean clinics may offer conventional SMILE or SMILE Pro on the VisuMax 800, which has faster lenticule creation and centration/torsion tools, but a newer platform alone has not proven better long-term vision or fewer complications for every eye.

What Is SMILE Eye Surgery?

SMILE eye surgery is a laser vision-correction procedure that reshapes the cornea by removing a small piece of tissue through a tiny incision. It reduces dependence on glasses or contact lenses for nearsightedness, with or without astigmatism. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed with a femtosecond laser and numbing eye drops.

Who Is a Good Candidate for SMILE Eye Surgery?

• Stable adult myopia — Good candidates want to reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses for myopia, with or without myopic astigmatism, and have had a stable prescription for at least a year.
• Healthy corneas — Suitable eyes have regular corneal topography/tomography, adequate corneal thickness and planned residual tissue, and no signs of ectasia risk.
• Manageable ocular surface — Tear-film dryness, blepharitis, ocular rosacea, and allergy-related eye rubbing need assessment and treatment before surgery when relevant.
• Realistic visual goals — SMILE permanently changes corneal shape but does not guarantee perfect vision, stop future prescription change, prevent cataracts or retinal disease, or correct presbyopia. Reading glasses are common from around age 40 despite excellent distance vision.

SMILE is not appropriate with keratoconus or suspected keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, irregular corneal measurements, inadequate stromal tissue, unstable refraction, active eye infection or inflammation, or severe uncontrolled dry eye. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, uncontrolled diabetes or glaucoma, active autoimmune/connective-tissue disease, and medicines or conditions that impair healing generally require deferral or individualized assessment. Prior eye surgery, corneal scars, ocular herpes, amblyopia, elevated eye pressure, recurrent erosions, immunosuppression, isotretinoin, amiodarone, and sumatriptan also need careful review. The original U.S. indication applied to adults aged 22 or older with defined stable myopia and myopic-astigmatism ranges; these are device-label parameters rather than universal Korean eligibility rules. A prescription alone cannot establish candidacy: assessment includes refraction with and without dilation, acuity, corneal thickness and mapping, tear film, eye pressure, pupil assessment, and retinal and general eye-health examination.

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How Is SMILE Eye Surgery Performed?

SMILE uses a femtosecond laser to create a lenticule within the cornea, which the surgeon removes through a small incision. The platform affects workflow, but it does not replace individualized screening or prove that one approach delivers better long-term vision for every eye.

• Conventional SMILE / ReLEx SMILE — The established approach, commonly associated with the VisuMax 500 platform. It creates a stromal lenticule without a large LASIK-style flap or primary excimer-laser surface ablation.
• SMILE Pro / VisuMax 800 workflow — A newer platform with faster lenticule creation and tools intended to assist centration and torsion alignment. The manufacturer describes a faster laser sequence, but faster cutting alone is not evidence of superior long-term visual quality or fewer complications.
• Hyperopic SMILE — Lenticule extraction for farsightedness is an emerging application, not equivalent in evidence maturity to established myopic SMILE. Confirm the proposed indication, device authorization, and the surgeon’s rationale rather than treating the SMILE name as a single uniform procedure.

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Why Visit Korea for SMILE Eye Surgery?

Korea offers access to clinics using conventional SMILE and newer VisuMax-800-based workflows. That availability does not establish the quality of a particular surgeon, platform choice, or outcome. Choose based on complete corneal screening, transparent records, and a workable follow-up plan rather than marketing language.

• Platform discussion — Ask whether the recommendation is conventional SMILE or a VisuMax 800/SMILE Pro workflow, and request the anatomical reason for that choice. A newer system is not automatically better for a given prescription or cornea.
• Written clinical data — Request copies of refraction, pachymetry, topography/tomography, dry-eye findings, proposed correction, and residual-tissue assessment. These measurements determine safety more meaningfully than destination or procedure branding.
• Evidence-aware decision-making — Comparative evidence finds SMILE and femtosecond LASIK broadly similar for final refractive and uncorrected-vision outcomes in myopia; SMILE showed better early corneal-sensitivity and tear-break-up-time measures in included studies, while customized femtosecond LASIK can have advantages in some visual metrics and early recovery. Read the comparative evidence and its limits before treating either option as universally preferable.
• Record handover — For travel-based care, obtain operative details and postoperative records in English where possible. Future clinicians need to know about corneal refractive surgery because it affects intraocular-pressure interpretation and later cataract-lens calculations.
• Important limitation — No nationwide independently verified Korean SMILE registry or surgeon-volume database established individual-center quality in the reviewed evidence. Ask for surgeon identity, ophthalmology credentials, interpreter arrangements, emergency contact details, medicines, and follow-up arrangements in writing.

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Key Information for International Patients

• Minimum stay — Plan 3–5 nights in Korea, not a same-day procedure and departure. This allows eligibility testing, treatment, and the essential postoperative-day-1 examination.
• Flight timing — Commercial passenger travel can be considered after the next-day review when the operating ophthalmologist clears it; one academic protocol permits travel then after SMILE. Cabin air can worsen dryness, so carry prescribed lubricants in hand luggage. Passenger travel clearance after review is not a universal rule or a substitute for the surgeon’s examination.
• First-night logistics — Stay near the clinic, arrange escorted transport, and do not drive after surgery or the following day unless specifically cleared. Bring sunglasses for light sensitivity.
• Itinerary impact — Keep the procedure day and next day free of tours, long-distance travel, and visually demanding commitments. Blurring, tearing, foreign-body sensation, glare, and fluctuating vision are common early recovery issues.
• Follow-up at home — Arrange a local ophthalmologist before departure when possible. A week-1 review is preferable; if it cannot be done in Korea, obtain a written handover plan and send records to the clinician at home.
• Professional pilots and aviation staff — Passenger-flight clearance does not establish fitness for flight duty. The FAA requires stable vision, absence of significant adverse effects, and compliance with applicable vision standards before an airman returns to duty. See the FAA refractive-surgery guidance.

Travel note: Do not leave Korea solely because a pre-booked flight is approaching. Depart only after the day-1 examination is satisfactory, written drop instructions and emergency contacts are in hand, and urgent eye care is feasible after return.

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Which Are the Best Clinics in Korea for Smile Eye Surgery?

Listed below are some of the best clinics in Korea for smile eye surgery.

1. Samsung Miracle Eye Clinic

For SMILE eye surgery, you can receive a personalized plan at Samsung Miracle Eye Clinic, with the doctor who examines your eyes also performing the procedure and overseeing your recovery. Its surgeons are described as ambidextrous, a technique the clinic says supports precise corneal-stroma removal while minimizing contact with the nasal bridge.

• URL: Samsung Miracle Eye Clinic Website
• Location: Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• Procedure approach:
  • SMILE LASIK is a minimally invasive corneal vision-correction procedure.
  • The clinic’s surgeons use an ambidextrous operating approach intended to allow equal precision in both eyes.
• Care process:
  • Your consultation, surgical plan, procedure, and recovery follow-up are handled by the same doctor.
  • An in-house diagnostic system and the clinic’s stated lens-power calculation method may allow diagnosis and surgery to be completed on the same day.
• Other vision services:
  • LASIK and LASEK
  • Presbyopia and cataract treatment, including intraocular lens insertion
  • Dream Lens overnight orthokeratology and re-calibration surgery
• International care: A dedicated International Patient Team is available for international visitors.

2. BnVIIT Eye Clinic

For SMILE eye surgery at BnVIIT Eye Clinic, you can consider a minimally invasive laser procedure in which a lens-shaped piece of corneal tissue is created and removed through a small incision to correct vision. The clinic reports more than 30 years of experience and 550,000 successful eye surgeries, alongside an A.I. Vision Correction Prediction System.

• URL: BnVIIT Eye Clinic Website
• Location: Seoul
• SMILE procedure:
  • SMILE uses a laser to create a lens-shaped piece of tissue within the cornea, which is removed through a small incision.
  • It is offered for vision correction alongside other refractive-surgery options.
• Evaluation and options:
  • The clinic describes an A.I. Vision Correction Prediction System.
  • Treatment options can be tailored to your visual needs and lifestyle.
  • All-laser LASIK and all-laser LASEK (PRK) are available; LASEK may be considered for thinner corneas.
  • PIOL implantable lenses may be an option for high refractive errors when laser procedures are not suitable.
• Additional eye care:
  • Cataract surgery with intraocular lens replacement
  • Overnight Ortho-K (Dream Lens) for temporary daytime vision correction

3. Eye Plus Eye Clinic

For SMILE eye surgery at Eye Plus Eye Clinic, you can explore its Super SMILE LASIK option, a minimally invasive procedure intended to correct refractive errors. The clinic reports that recent statistics showed a 99% rate of achieving 1.0 vision or better with this procedure.

• URL: Eye Plus Eye Clinic Website
• Location: Seocho-gu, Seoul
• Vision-correction options:
  • Super SMILE LASIK is offered for minimally invasive refractive correction.
  • Super LASIK is presented as an option with quicker recovery and reduced discomfort compared with traditional LASIK.
  • Super LASEK is a surface-ablation option that may suit thinner corneas, although it has a longer recovery period than LASIK.
  • ICL may be an alternative if you have a high prescription or are not a LASIK candidate because of thin corneas.
• Corneal and revision care:
  • Corneal cross-linking is available to strengthen a weakened cornea and help halt keratoconus progression.
  • Revision-surgery evaluations are available when further correction is needed after prior refractive surgery.
• Other eye services:
  • Presbyopia and cataract surgery, including multifocal intraocular lens implantation and Presby-LASIK
  • Care for glaucoma, retinal diseases, and dry eye syndrome, including LipiFlow

How Much Does SMILE Eye Surgery Cost in Korea?

SMILE Eye Surgery is supplied at ₩2,800,000–₩6,000,000 (approximately US$2,100–US$4,400). Individual quotes vary because the planned SMILE method, refractive correction, and required assessment and follow-up can require different technology, clinical planning, and care resources.

Procedure Price	Korean Won (₩)	USD ($)
Low Price	₩2,800,000	$2,100
High Price	₩6,000,000	$4,400

Exchange rate as of 2026-09-06: 1 KRW = 0.000741 USD.

What Affects the Price?

• Conventional SMILE versus SMILE Pro platform — Conventional SMILE uses the VisuMax 500 platform, while SMILE Pro uses the newer VisuMax 800 workflow with faster lenticule creation and centration/torsion-alignment assistance. The selected laser platform and associated operating-room technology determine the equipment and procedural resources used.
• Planned correction and corneal treatment planning — Treatment for myopia alone versus myopia with astigmatism requires individualized refraction, corneal thickness, topography/tomography, and residual-tissue planning. A correction that requires more complex centration or astigmatism alignment increases preoperative measurement and surgical-planning demands.
• Eligibility work-up and ocular-surface requirements — A proper SMILE assessment includes manifest and cycloplegic refraction, corneal thickness and topography/tomography, tear-film and ocular-surface evaluation, intraocular-pressure testing, pupil assessment, and retinal examination. Dry eye, lid disease, irregular corneal measurements, prior eye surgery, or ectasia-risk findings can require additional evaluation or treatment before surgery is considered.
• Postoperative review and travel handover — International care requires at least a postoperative-day-1 examination before travel, written drop instructions, emergency contacts, and operative records for follow-up at home. Arranging local review or a documented handover plan requires coordination beyond the laser procedure itself.

Cost tip: Request an itemized quote stating what is included, including the proposed SMILE platform, eligibility testing, surgery, prescribed drops, postoperative examinations, records, interpreter support if relevant, and arrangements for follow-up or urgent care after return home.

The US$2,100–US$4,400 conversion is approximate, based on an exchange rate of 0.000741 on 2026-09-06. Check the exchange rate again when budgeting.

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SMILE Eye Surgery From Start to Finish

1. Remote inquiry and consultation — Send current prescription, contact-lens history, relevant eye and medical history, medicine list, and visual priorities. Confirm whether English consultation, interpretation, and virtual pre-travel review are available. Remote discussion cannot replace in-person corneal testing.
2. In-person eligibility assessment — The clinic checks uncorrected and corrected vision, manifest and cycloplegic refraction, corneal thickness, topography/tomography, tear film and ocular surface, eye pressure, pupils, and retinal health. Stop contact lenses before testing so the cornea can return to its natural shape.
3. Treatment planning and consent — The ophthalmologist confirms whether SMILE is appropriate, reviews alternatives and risks, sets the intended correction, and explains the proposed platform. Discuss night-driving demands, dry-eye history, presbyopia, residual prescription, and possible enhancement pathways.
4. Surgery-day preparation — Remove eye makeup and follow the clinic’s instructions on food, medicines, and arrival time. SMILE is normally performed awake with topical anesthetic drops; fasting is center-specific because general anesthesia is not routine.
5. Laser treatment — One eye is treated at a time. A curved contact lens docks to the eye with low suction while fixation is maintained on a light. The femtosecond laser creates the lenticule and small access incision; the laser-cutting portion typically takes under 60 seconds per eye. The surgeon then separates and removes the lenticule manually.
6. Immediate discharge — Both eyes are commonly treated the same day. Expect several hours of blur, tearing, light sensitivity, discomfort, and foreign-body sensation as anesthetic drops wear off. Go back to accommodation with an escort, rest, and begin drops exactly as prescribed.
7. Postoperative-day-1 review — The surgeon checks vision, corneal healing, and complications before clearing travel or normal activities. Do not drive unless the surgeon confirms that vision is adequate.
8. Recovery and remote follow-up — Vision often sharpens through days 2–7, while dryness and fluctuation can continue for several weeks. Formal refractive outcome assessment is commonly around 3 months or later. Send requested updates to the Korean clinic and attend locally arranged reviews after returning home.

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Alternatives to SMILE Eye Surgery

The best alternative depends on prescription, corneal thickness and shape, dry-eye status, age, near-vision needs, and willingness to accept corneal versus intraocular surgery. Non-surgical options are reversible; laser procedures remove corneal tissue; lens procedures avoid corneal ablation but introduce intraocular risks.

LASIK

• How it differs — LASIK creates a hinged corneal flap, then uses an excimer laser to reshape underlying tissue.
• Tradeoff — It offers established customization and enhancement pathways, but introduces flap-related considerations absent from conventional SMILE.
• Learn more — See LASIK in Korea.

PRK / LASEK

• How it differs — Surface ablation reshapes the cornea after epithelial removal, without a LASIK flap.
• Tradeoff — It can be considered when flap avoidance or corneal planning favors a surface approach, but epithelial healing is more uncomfortable and early visual recovery is slower than SMILE.
• Learn more — See LASEK in Korea.

Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL)

• How it differs — A phakic lens is placed inside the eye without removing corneal tissue.
• Tradeoff — ICL can suit selected high prescriptions or corneas unsuitable for laser tissue removal, but it is intraocular surgery with distinct risks and long-term monitoring needs.
• Learn more — See ICL lens implant in Korea.

Lens-Based Vision Correction

• How it differs — Refractive lens exchange or cataract surgery replaces the eye’s natural lens with an intraocular lens.
• Tradeoff — It becomes more relevant when presbyopia or cataract is the main visual problem rather than isolated myopia. It is not a routine substitute for corneal laser surgery in a younger person with a clear natural lens.
• Learn more — See presbyopia correction in Korea.

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How Can I Prepare for SMILE Eye Surgery?

• Stop contact lenses on time — Under the FDA-labelled protocol, stop soft lenses for at least 3 days and rigid or hard lenses for at least 2 weeks before the preoperative examination and surgery. Rigid gas-permeable and orthokeratology lenses often require a longer washout; follow the operating ophthalmologist’s timeframe.
• Disclose all health information — Provide every prescription medicine, over-the-counter product, vitamin, herbal supplement, allergy, prior eye infection, eye procedure, systemic illness, pregnancy or breastfeeding status, and dry-eye history. Do not stop prescribed medicines without direction from the prescribing clinician and eye surgeon.
• Ask about flagged medicines — Specifically discuss isotretinoin, amiodarone, sumatriptan, systemic corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive treatment because healing and eligibility can be affected.
• Clarify food and drink instructions — Topical anesthetic drops are standard, so fasting is not universal. Obtain the clinic’s written fasting, alcohol, and smoking instructions rather than applying generic surgical rules.
• Prepare the eye area — Arrive without eye makeup, false lashes, creams near the eyelids, or contact lenses. Bring glasses for the period before and after treatment.
• Plan transport and accommodation — Arrange an escort after surgery, stay close to the clinic on the first night, and avoid driving until cleared. Pack sunglasses and preservative-free lubricants if the clinic has advised them.
• Keep flights flexible — Book enough time for the next-day examination and avoid non-refundable onward travel immediately afterward. Ask the clinic how it handles an abnormal day-1 finding or need for an extra review.

Travel note: Keep copies of prescriptions, corneal scans when supplied, insurance details, and a local ophthalmologist’s contact information accessible during travel.

Confirm the operating clinic’s contact-lens washout, medicine, fasting, travel, and accommodation requirements in writing; the treating doctor’s individualized instructions take precedence over general guidance.

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Aftercare Advice

Protect the healing cornea, use the prescribed drops precisely, and treat any worsening symptom as an eye-care issue rather than a normal travel inconvenience.

• Drops and lubrication — Use the exact antibiotic, anti-inflammatory or steroid, and preservative-free lubricating-drop schedule supplied by the surgeon. Do not substitute, share, or extend steroid drops, because prolonged use can raise eye pressure and contribute to glaucoma or cataract.
• No rubbing or contamination — Do not rub, press, or touch the eyes. Keep water, sweat, soap, cosmetics, dust, and dirty hands away for the interval set by the surgeon; this period varies by healing and clinic protocol.
• Activity and heat — Rest on surgery day. Avoid heavy lifting, contact sports, swimming, hot tubs, and water activities until the operating surgeon clears them. One academic protocol restricts water activities, contact sports, and heavy lifting for up to 2 weeks and allows mild exercise after one week, but center instructions differ.
• Light and visual demands — Wear sunglasses for temporary light sensitivity. Limit night driving, prolonged screens, and precision visual tasks until vision is comfortable and the surgeon has cleared driving.
• Urgent warning signs — Seek urgent ophthalmic assessment for severe or worsening pain, sudden vision decline, increasing redness, discharge, or marked new light sensitivity. These are not routine recovery symptoms.
• Follow-up and final result — Attend the day-1 examination before travel, then the arranged week-1 and later reviews. Vision can fluctuate for weeks; formal refractive results are commonly assessed at 3 months or later.

Follow the treating ophthalmologist’s instructions over any general schedule, and contact the clinic promptly when recovery appears wrong.