Best laser eye surgery (SMILE) package Turkey

Your package at a glance

What’s included — and what’s not

This overview describes the stated scope for SMILE laser eye surgery. The treating healthcare provider confirms clinical suitability and final arrangements in writing.

Included

SMILE laser treatment of both eyes when clinically suitable

Hotel accommodation

Private single-room accommodation during the planned 2–3 day Istanbul stay for assessment, treatment and the first review. The provider’s written offer should confirm the exact hotel-night count. Accommodation is provided in a 4-star or 5-star hotel.

Pre-operative eye assessment

Pre-operative examination and corneal maps named in the written plan.

Day-case treatment and early review

The laser procedure is outpatient and does not imply an overnight hospital stay. The treating eye-care provider confirms any observation required.

Anaesthesia

Topical anaesthetic drops, unless the written clinical plan names another anaesthetic.

Post-procedure medication

Any necessary medication after treatment, only when prescribed and listed in the treating provider’s written offer.

Medical Concierge assistance

A dedicated English-speaking Medical Concierge from the treating healthcare provider throughout the planned stay.

VIP transfers

1. 
   Airport to hotel Private transfer from the airport to the hotel.
2. 
   Hotel ↔ hospital for treatment Private return transfer between the hotel and hospital or clinic for treatment.
3. 
   Hotel ↔ hospital for scheduled checks Private return transfer between the hotel and hospital or clinic for scheduled checks.
4. 
   Hotel to airport Private transfer from the hotel to the airport.

The healthcare provider confirms the final clinical scope and arrangements in writing. Just Clinic Istanbul is an independent marketing and lead-generation platform; clinical care and support are provided by the healthcare provider.

What a SMILE laser eye package is

SMILE — small-incision lenticule extraction — uses a femtosecond laser to shape a thin disc of corneal tissue (a lenticule) and remove it through a small opening, so the front of the eye changes focus. It is not LASIK with a hinged flap, not PRK that treats the surface, not iLasik or T-PRK, and not a cataract sitting that swaps the natural lens. Teams usually plan both eyes in one visit when the maps allow. How much myopia or astigmatism can be treated belongs on the written plan after those maps, not in a slogan. A dioptre target is not sold at a fixed fee if the cornea is too thin or the prescription sits outside a safe range.

The written clinical plan should identify the named procedure and the clinician responsible. The treating eye-care provider confirms suitability after examination and measurements.

Who this package is for

Ophthalmologists usually consider adults whose glasses or contact prescription and corneal thickness sit in a range where a lenticule can still be taken honestly — often myopia with or without astigmatism — who can keep drops in for the first days and who accept that dry eye and fluctuating vision can last longer than the first clear morning. A very high prescription, a thin or irregular cornea, keratoconus, uncontrolled dry eye or a lens that is already cloudy often points to another laser, a surface treatment, or cataract work instead. If the plan is a flap, LASIK or iLasik is the conversation. If the plan is no-touch surface laser, T-PRK is the quote.

The date is often postponed if contact lenses have not been left out long enough for accurate maps, if an untreated infection or inflammation is found, or if pregnancy or a medicine that affects healing has not been cleared. Send a recent glasses prescription if you have one. Suitability is confirmed in Istanbul before anyone fires the laser. A cataract lens “while we are there”, or a hair transplant in the same week, is not assumed.

Treating so far that the team would rather stop is refused if the cornea will not carry it; that is a clinical limit, not an upsell.

Theatre, anaesthetic and nights in Istanbul

Plan two to three days in the city. That window covers the in-person maps, the laser, and a next-day check before you fly. A same-afternoon flight is not a target.

The sitting is in a laser suite with drops on the surface of the eye; a general anaesthetic is not assumed. It is a clinic visit, not a ward operation. Each eye is usually minutes once the maps are loaded — it is not an advertising clock. Discharge is signed when you can walk out with the shields or glasses you were given.

After the laser

The first hours are often watering, a sandy feeling and light sensitivity. Keep the drops as written. Do not rub. Desk work is often possible after a day or two if the surgeon agrees; dusty sites, swimming and eye make-up wait. Vision can look sharp early and still change as the surface settles — that is expected, not a second package. Sunglasses outdoors are for comfort after you leave the clinic, not a substitute for the review.

Red flags after you fly — pain that worsens, a sudden drop in vision, a temperature, or discharge — mean a local ophthalmologist or A&E first, then your coordinator. Take the note of the laser and the maps with you.

Questions from you

These notes answer questions people raise before they accept a written treatment plan. They describe what that plan should make clear. They are not a promise that any partner hospital uses a particular technique, device or payment arrangement. With your consent, an enquiry may be shared with an authorised healthcare partner.

Which measurements decided that laser was suitable, and what is my corneal and ectasia risk?

AAO EyeWiki says ectasia screening does not stop at one central thickness or a map of the front surface alone. Tomography is required. Abnormal topography or keratoconus is an absolute barrier to LASIK. A residual stromal bed of 250 micrometres has been suggested as a threshold for LASIK. No number rules ectasia out. Some authors treat 300 micrometres as the more cautious figure. With normal topography, a percent tissue altered of 40% or more, from flap thickness plus ablation relative to corneal thickness, is linked to a higher ectasia risk. A prescription that has changed in the past year is unstable refraction in the FDA’s terms. Sources: AAO EyeWiki LASIK preoperative evaluation, FDA: when LASIK is not for you.

Do I have dry eye or an ocular-surface problem, and should it be treated before laser?

Uncontrolled dry eye, blepharitis or atopy is a barrier in the AAO text. Lid-margin disease is treated before surgery. Measurements taken on a disturbed surface carry error into the plan. The FDA says LASIK can worsen dry eye, and that this can be permanent. Marked but controlled dry eye may point away from flap LASIK toward surface ablation or SMILE. That choice does not remove the risk. Sources: AAO EyeWiki LASIK preoperative evaluation, FDA: when LASIK is not for you.

Why LASIK, iLASIK, PRK, TransPRK or SMILE for my eye?

LASIK lifts a flap. AAO says that in combat sports, military service or a job with a risk of eye injury, PRK, another surface ablation or SMILE should be considered because a flap can dislocate for life. A thin cornea or ectasia risk can rule LASIK out. The FDA says refractive surgery on a thin cornea can cause complications up to blindness, and that contact sport can affect candidacy. The name iLASIK or no-touch does not replace this comparison. Sources: AAO EyeWiki LASIK preoperative evaluation, FDA: when LASIK is not for you.

What vision is the target, and what are the conditions if a prescription remains and retreatment is discussed?

The FDA says only some patients see 20/20 without glasses, that under-correction and over-correction can occur, and that an enhancement is not always possible. Glasses or contact lenses may still be needed afterwards. “20/20 or your money back” is not a medical guarantee. A second procedure after previous laser or radial keratotomy is discussed separately and more cautiously. An enhancement fee is not included unless the first package writes it in. Source: FDA LASIK risks.

If vision drops suddenly, pain is severe, or infection is suspected after I go home, what is the emergency route and who pays?

The NHS asks people to call 111 for a sudden increase in floaters, flashes, a curtain or dark shadow in the vision, or sudden blur, because of possible retinal detachment. Redness, pain and sensitivity to light also need an eye check the same day. The FDA says a shifted LASIK flap, inflammation or infection can need another procedure and intensive drops, and that vision loss can be temporary or permanent despite aggressive treatment. The NHS asks people treated abroad to get the cost of further treatment and a return journey in writing beforehand. Travel insurance usually does not cover surgical complications. Sources: NHS cataract surgery, FDA LASIK risks, NHS advice on cosmetic surgery abroad.

Should I stop wearing contact lenses before laser-eye-surgery measurements?

Tell the clinic which contact lenses you wear before your assessment. Lenses can temporarily change corneal shape, so testing too soon may affect the measurements used to plan treatment. Ask when to switch to glasses and how long to leave your lenses out; the interval depends on lens type and the planned procedure. FDA patient information describes lens-specific instructions for LASIK, while its approved SMILE booklet says the clinician should set the interval needed for stable measurements. If you are considering PRK or TransPRK, ask for the clinic's instructions for that procedure. FDA LASIK patient information; FDA-approved SMILE patient booklet.