DND International Eye Hospital: 12-year journey from Lasik surgery to SMILE

Why did DND decide to update from Lasik technology to SMILE technology?

DND is always a pioneer in updating the latest medical technologies to bring optimal benefits to patients. Lasik surgery has brought very good results over the years, but there are still many limitations and complications after surgery.

Always concerned about this, 12 years ago, Dr. Nguyen Dang Dung - Director of DND International Eye Hospital went directly to Europe to attend the European Refractive Surgery Conference. Here, Dr. Dung not only witnessed the remarkable advances of SMILE surgery technology, but also had access to convincing research and reports from international experts on actual results on patients with refractive errors. Smile technology with many outstanding advantages in terms of safety, speed and faster recovery ability, this has prompted Dr. Nguyen Dang Dung to decide to update new technology, in order to meet the increasing needs of patients.

What are the biggest changes when optimizing technology from Lasik surgery to SMILE?

The biggest difference lies in the surgical procedure and recovery time. While Lasik surgery requires a microsurgical blade to create a corneal flap, SMILE only requires a small incision without opening the flap. This helps minimize the risk of complications, while helping patients recover faster and providing more accurate treatment results.

SMILE technology is a big step forward in refractive surgery, so what challenges do doctors encounter when applying this technology?

Applying SMILE technology was not an easy step. The biggest challenge when applying SMILE at DND was approaching and getting used to a completely new process, which had never been applied in the North at that time.

To overcome this, we have organized many training courses and shared experiences from domestic and foreign experts. In addition, convincing patients to trust and choose SMILE technology, when Lasik surgery is so familiar, is also a big challenge. However, thanks to a team of experienced doctors and constant efforts and determination, right from the first surgeries, we quickly mastered SMILE technology and successfully handled situations that arose in the operating room.

Can the doctor tell me what are the outstanding advantages of SMILE surgery compared to Lasik?

SMILE technology uses the principle of tissue core surgery with many improvements, shortening the treatment time to only 8 seconds for each eye, reducing more than 70% of the time compared to the previous Lasik method. The Femtosecond laser has a fast pulse repetition rate of 2 MHz, creating precise tissue cores. SMILE's extremely short execution time combined with a small incision of only 2mm, no flap creation, reducing damage from the force acting on the eye, thereby reducing dry eyes compared to Lasik methods by more than 80%. SMILE integrates technology to accurately detect eye movement around the axis and automatically center the eye for accurate results even when the patient moves his eyes during surgery. Not only that, the VISUMAX 800 machine performing SMILE is also supplemented with astigmatism rotation compensation technology for superior astigmatism treatment results.

After 12 years, can you share some memorable achievements that the hospital has made in the field of refractive surgery, especially SMILE surgery?

We are proud to have helped thousands of patients regain their sight and improve their quality of life. In particular, over the past year, we have successfully performed thousands of SMILE surgeries, with a success rate of up to 98%. This is a very impressive number, reflecting the tireless efforts of the entire team of doctors and medical staff at DND.

How has SMILE technology helped DND International Eye Hospital change the way it provides refractive error treatment services?

SMILE technology has brought a big step forward in the treatment of refractive errors at DND International Eye Hospital. This is a big turning point for the entire ophthalmology industry in Vietnam. The application of SMILE technology has dramatically changed patients' perception of refractive surgery. In the early years, the rate of SMILE surgery at DND was only about 10-15%, but now, this number has reached nearly 80%, which reflects the increasing trust and choice of patients for this advanced surgical method, while helping DND International Eye Hospital affirm its leading position in the field of refractive surgery in Vietnam.

How are the medical staff at the hospital trained to be proficient in performing SMILE surgery?

The team of doctors at DND is always well-trained through international training programs, combined with participation in specialized seminars at home and abroad. We also organize internal training sessions and direct practice, sharing sessions on handling complications and surgical indications under the guidance of experts to ensure that the next generation of doctors always master new knowledge and techniques.

Can the doctor share about the synchronization between the machine and the doctor's skills during SMILE surgery?

SMILE surgery requires a perfect combination of machine technology and doctor's skills. DND International Eye Hospital is one of the few hospitals in the North that can synchronize the system from examination machines, diagnostic imaging equipment to refractive surgery systems. Modern machinery will help update eye parameters accurately, eliminate potential corneal diseases and perform surgery with absolute precision. But the human factor is still the deciding factor. A good and experienced doctor will ensure the surgery is safe and flexibly handle problems arising during the surgery, to bring the best results for the patient.

Does DND have any plans to continue innovating technology or expanding services in the field of eye surgery?

We always focus on improving service quality and innovating technology to bring optimal solutions to patients. In the near future, DND will continue to invest in advanced surgical technologies, expand treatment services and improve the medical examination and treatment environment to meet the increasing needs of the community.

With the pioneering application of SMILE technology, DND International Eye Hospital not only brings patients outstanding treatment results but also affirms its leading position in the field of refractive surgery in Vietnam. These achievements are clear evidence of the continuous efforts of the team of doctors and medical staff at the hospital.