Did Dryness Newly Develop,or Was It Already Present?
Reviews mentioning dryness ranged from initial discomfort that gave way to satisfaction, to eyes that were already mildly dry before surgery. Posts reporting an absence of symptoms were also included as evidence under this topic. The number of reviews in this cluster does not reflect how many patients newly developed dry eye after surgery. We examined these accounts solely based on what was written about when it started and how it changed.
Supporting Review
“I had SMILE LASIK surgery, and although it was dry and uncomfortable at first, my satisfaction with life is now truly great!”
Google Maps · 2025.05
Dryness Present Before Surgery
“Of course, there's dryness, but that was something I had a little bit of even before the surgery,”
Google Maps · 2026.06
Different people's experiences—not percentages showing which is more common.
Look separately at whether dryness was present, pre-existing conditions, and its overall trajectory.
When Light Glare Occurred,How Did Night Driving Feel?
Among reviews discussing glare and haloing, we also looked closely at real-life scenarios. One person who drives frequently at night reported feeling comfortable without any glare. In contrast, another noted that around the four-week mark, some night glare remained but seemed to be subsiding. Advice regarding night driving in that post reflects the author's personal view rather than clinical confirmation of fitness to drive. It helps to distinguish between reporting a symptom and its tangible impact on daily tasks.
Comfortable Night Driving
“I often drive at night, and I'm so happy that the surgery went so well, with no side effects like glare even on long-distance drives!!”
KakaoMap · 2024.04
Lingering Light Glare
“There's a slight glare at night, but it seems to be decreasing a lot, and if you're a driver who absolutely has to drive only in the evening, it might be a little inconvenient, but other than that, I definitely recommend it.”
NAVER Maps · 2024.03
Different people's experiences—not percentages showing which is more common.
Assess nighttime vision alongside actual disruptions to daily activities.
How Significantly DidHazy Vision Impact Daily Life?
We compiled descriptions of blurred or cloudy vision and looked at what activities were difficult. One reviewer barely looked at screens because small text was blurry, while another described daily life as impossible due to difficulty seeing up close. Simple visual acuity numbers alone may not capture this kind of disruption. Rather than reinterpreting these accounts into medical diagnoses, we documented the differences in timeline, distance, and specific activities.
Supporting Review
“For the first week after the surgery, small letters were hard to see and my vision was blurry, so I hardly looked at my phone or PC screen.”
Google Maps · 2023.10
Difficulty with Near Screens
“When I had my consultation, they told me that if I rested well for a day or two after SMILE LASIK, my vision would be good, but now I can't see anything up close at all, so daily life is impossible.”
NAVER Maps · 2023.06
Different people's experiences—not percentages showing which is more common.
Consider which daily tasks were impeded before evaluating the level of haziness alone.
Once the Stinging Subsided,Did Other Discomforts End Too?
We examined records detailing early sensations such as irritation, tearing, and stinging. One SMILE Pro review recounted about three hours of tearing and stinging, dryness and glare around the one-week mark, and gradual adaptation after more than a month. The easing of one symptom did not necessarily mean others had resolved. Because some accounts omit timestamps, we did not calculate an average duration for each symptom.
“For about 1 week after the surgery, I experienced glare and dry eyes,”
Google Maps · 2023.10 · View evidence ↗
Track the current status and recovery pace of each symptom individually.
How Did Pre-Existing Dry EyesFare After the Procedure?
Accounts documenting pre-existing symptoms were reviewed separately. One reviewer noted soreness on the first day after surgery and achieved 1.0 (1.0) vision after a month, while mentioning mild dryness had already existed beforehand. While these accounts provide a view of both before and after, they are not diagnostic comparisons based on objective testing. Interpretations regarding aftercare were kept as personal opinions, and symptoms were not presumed to be caused by surgery alone.
“Of course, there's dryness, but that was something I had a little bit of even before the surgery,”
Google Maps · 2026.06 · View evidence ↗
Distinguish between pre-existing symptoms and newly experienced discomfort.
Does a Satisfied ReviewMean There Was No Discomfort?
We examined reports of an absence of symptoms alongside accounts of gaining comfort. One reviewer achieved 1.2 (1.2) vision at three weeks and felt no side effects. Another had no trouble with computer work, yet noticed mild glare from oncoming headlights. Classifying satisfaction simply as good or bad risks overlooking coexisting discomforts. A reported symptom-free window should also be distinguished from long-term outcomes.
Symptom-Free at Three Weeks
“It's been 3 weeks since the surgery, and I can see very well without any side effects.”
NAVER Maps · 2024.08
Screen Work and Headlights
“Originally, the follow-up was scheduled for the day after, but I couldn't go the next day. However, even after working for a week and using the computer a lot, I had no discomfort, and only headlights appeared slightly blurred.”
Google Maps · 2025.11
Different people's experiences—not percentages showing which is more common.
Separate overall satisfaction from symptom severity and real-life impact.
Questions to bring to your consultation
Keep the questions that matter to you for your consultation.
Before you go
Why we chose these six points
SMILE and SMILE Pro terms have been retained as originally written. Cases combined with corneal cross-linking (CXL) or corneal reinforcement are explicitly noted and not interpreted as outcomes of laser refractive surgery alone. This section regroups relevant expressions extracted from the existing pool of 2,012 evidence-based reviews. Posts noting an absence of symptoms and those where timing is unclear are also included; the count in each section does not represent the number of individuals who experienced symptoms. Complex combination procedures and posts deferred from the initial screening were excluded from this reclassification. Modoodoc sources have been excluded from the analysis, quotations, and evidence database. All reviews assigned to each topic are linked without volume caps. Representative quotes subjected to source-text comparison are differentiated from automatically classified evidence; this distinction does not imply individual manual verification of the entire classification set. Consultations and pre-op examinations are designated as reference material. These figures do not indicate total patient volumes or clinical incidence rates.
4 Sources · 708 Categorized Reviews · 9 Representative Quotes