LASIK vs SMILE in Istanbul: Which One to Choose and What It Costs in 2026

For most short-sighted adults, SMILE and Femto-LASIK reach a similar final result, so the choice comes down to three things: your prescription, how you live, and what you will pay. Femto-LASIK gives sharper vision on the first day, also treats long-sightedness, is the easier procedure to enhance, and costs from €1,800 for both eyes in an Istanbul package. SMILE leaves no corneal flap and protects corneal sensation better in the first three months, and the partner hospital quotes it individually, at a higher price. The surgeon makes the final call after measuring your corneas.

How the two procedures differ

Both use a femtosecond laser, but they reshape the cornea in different ways. In Femto-LASIK the laser cuts a thin hinged flap, the surgeon lifts it, an excimer laser reshapes the tissue underneath and the flap is laid back. A 2021 Review of Ophthalmology analysis describes the LASIK flap as a 270-degree cut around the cornea.

In SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) the laser cuts a thin disc of tissue, the lenticule, inside the cornea, and the surgeon removes it through a small side opening. The same review gives 4 mm as the default incision in the United States; some countries use smaller ones. No flap is lifted, and SMILE is performed on the Zeiss VisuMax laser.

When SMILE is the better choice

SMILE suits short-sighted patients, with or without moderate astigmatism, who want to avoid a flap. A flap can be displaced by a direct blow while it heals, which is why the FDA advises against strenuous contact sports for at least four weeks after LASIK. If you box, play rugby, do martial arts or work in a job where eye trauma is a real risk, ask the surgeon whether SMILE fits your eyes.

The second argument is corneal sensation. A 2015 meta-analysis by He and colleagues in BMC Ophthalmology pooled five comparative studies covering 363 eyes and found that corneal sensitivity was higher after SMILE than after Femto-LASIK at one week, one month and three months. At six months the difference was no longer statistically significant. The authors called for caution because the number of studies was small. If your eyes are already on the dry side, mention it at the assessment, because the surgeon may weigh this early difference when choosing the technique.

When Femto-LASIK is the better choice

Femto-LASIK covers a wider range of prescriptions. The Review of Ophthalmology analysis notes that the FDA approved SMILE in 2016 for short-sightedness and in 2018 for short-sightedness with astigmatism, limited to 3 dioptres of astigmatism, and that it was not approved for long-sightedness or mixed astigmatism. If you are long-sighted, Femto-LASIK or PRK is the usual route.

Day-one vision is sharper. According to the same review, most LASIK patients see 20/20 or better the day after surgery, while modern SMILE settings reach about 20/20 to 20/25 on day one, which it describes as still not quite as good as LASIK. Both settle over the following weeks; the difference is mostly about the first days of your trip.

Enhancements are simpler. If a small residual prescription needs a touch-up, a LASIK flap can be lifted and re-treated. A SMILE eye cannot be re-treated with SMILE; the review describes PRK on the surface as the common enhancement route. Finally, Femto-LASIK is the cheaper of the two in Istanbul; in Italy, Gruppo Refrattivo Italiano charges the same for both, as the next section shows.

LASIK vs SMILE in Istanbul and in Italy: price and what you get

In Istanbul, the Estetica package starts at €1,800 for both eyes with Femto-LASIK or PRK. It includes the eye examinations, the surgery, the eye drops, hotel nights and transfers, arranged with a JCI-accredited partner eye hospital; flights are never included. SMILE is quoted individually after the assessment, at a higher price. Full numbers for the UK, the US and Germany are in our laser eye surgery cost comparison.

In Italy, Clinica Baviera publishes €1,495 per eye for Femtolasik, so €2,990 for both eyes, and €1,230 per eye for PRK, so €2,460, with post-operative checks included until discharge. Its price page does not list SMILE. Gruppo Refrattivo Italiano, with clinics in Bergamo and Brescia, publishes €4,900 for both eyes for SMILE, Femto-LASIK or PRK, or €3,900 for patients up to 35, with six months of post-operative checks; its €150 pre-operative visit is billed separately.

For Femto-LASIK, Istanbul at €1,800 is €1,190 below Baviera's €2,990 and €3,100 below Gruppo Refrattivo Italiano's €4,900, before your flight. From Milano Malpensa (MXP), Milano Bergamo (BGY) or Roma Fiumicino (FCO) the direct flight to Istanbul Airport takes about 3 hours. If SMILE is what your eyes need, compare the individual Istanbul quote with Gruppo Refrattivo Italiano's €4,900 (€3,900 up to age 35), the only published Italian SMILE prices in this comparison.

What to check before you book either procedure

Start with the licence. Ask for the hospital's international health-tourism authorization from the Turkish Ministry of Health, and confirm the operating surgeon is a board-certified ophthalmologist. Then ask which laser platform will be used and when it was installed: SMILE needs a Zeiss VisuMax, and Femto-LASIK needs both a femtosecond and an excimer laser.

Ask for your full measurements in writing: corneal thickness, corneal topography and your refraction. These decide whether you are a candidate at all, and a clinic that recommends a technique before measuring your corneas is a red flag. Stop contact lenses before the assessment as instructed, because lenses change the shape of the cornea. Laser eye surgery is low-risk but not risk-free: dry eye, night halos and the need for an enhancement are the common issues, and some patients are told at the assessment that they should not have it.

How long to stay in Istanbul

Both procedures are done under anaesthetic eye drops, both eyes in one session. The usual plan is the assessment on arrival, surgery the next day and a check-up the day after. According to the American Refractive Surgery Council (ARSC), most patients can fly one to two days after LASIK or SMILE once the surgeon has cleared them; the details, including what to pack for the cabin, are in our guide to flying after laser eye surgery.

Plan three to four nights. A flexible return ticket helps if the surgeon recommends PRK instead, because surface treatment takes several days longer to feel comfortable. To get a quote for your own prescription, send your latest eye test through the laser eye surgery in Istanbul page; the free video call with the assistant comes first, and a €30 surgeon video call, credited on booking, is the first paid step after the offer.