Photo By Michelle Cornell | U.S. Navy Captain Corby D. Ropp performs Small Incision Lenticule Extraction [surgery]...... read more read more
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The future is looking bright at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune as active-duty military members now have a more minimally invasive, eye surgery option available to them. NMCCL’s Ophthalmology Department is certified to perform the SMILE procedure which stands for Small Incision Lenticule Extraction [surgery].
SMILE, a type of laser eye surgery, treats “myopia” or nearsightedness and “astigmatism” which is an irregular-shaped cornea. SMILE uses the Zeiss VisuMax; since receiving this equipment, the ophthalmology team has been using it for traditional LASIK surgery. The department completed a lengthy SMILE certification process in June 2020.
“The biggest advantage of SMILE is its readiness impact for our service members,” said U.S. Navy Captain Corby D. Ropp, Department Head of Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery. “The service member can go back to physical training, shooting and deploying quickly like LASIK, but without a LASIK flap.”
According to Doctor Ropp, flaps are the biggest complication risk of LASIK surgery as they can become dislocated soon after surgery due to accidental eye rubbing or other traumatic injury. This risk is eliminated with SMILE surgery, adding a readiness benefit for the active-duty population.
Ropp suggests that military patients discuss their options with their refractive surgery screening optometrist as SMILE is not a good option for patients with cornea scars or patients who may have difficulty cooperating with surgery.
“For patients who have some mild dry eye to start with and are anxious about getting LASIK or PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) because they know it will make it worse, SMILE would be the better option for them.”
Ropp adds that SMILE is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration for hyperopia (farsighted) patients.
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2021 12:40 |
| Story ID: | 394596 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE , NC, US |
| Web Views: | 391 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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