Short answer
ZEISS VISUMAX 800 is a femtosecond laser — it creates SMILE Pro lenticules and LASIK flaps without a blade. For patients, that means flapless SMILE through a tiny keyhole incision or a precise corneal flap before MEL 90 reshapes the surface. It does not treat hyperopia or presbyopia alone; it prepares or completes the corneal step of laser vision correction.
What is it?
VISUMAX 800 is ZEISS's fastest femtosecond platform — pulsing in the femtosecond range to separate corneal tissue at micron precision. In SMILE Pro, it creates and extracts a lenticule through a 2–4 mm incision, leaving the upper corneal layers largely intact. In LASIK, it cuts a hinged flap that is lifted before excimer ablation.
How it works in your procedure
You lie under the laser with a curved contact glass stabilising the eye. Suction engages briefly — typically seconds for SMILE lenticule creation on VISUMAX 800. The surgeon then either extracts the lenticule (SMILE) or opens the flap for excimer treatment (LASIK). Centring assistance helps align treatment to your visual axis.
Why surgeons choose this platform
- ✓SMILE Pro without a flap — preserves corneal nerves; lower dry-eye risk vs LASIK for many myopes.
- •Fast lenticule creation — shorter suction time improves comfort and reduces eye-movement risk.
- •ZEISS ecosystem — data flows to MEL 90 and diagnostic devices for consistent workflows.
- •Blade-free flaps — predictable thickness and edge geometry when LASIK is the chosen procedure.
Who it suits — and who needs a different platform
- ✓Stable myopia and myopic astigmatism within SMILE approval range — after Pentacam confirms corneal health.
- •Dry-eye-prone or contact-sport patients often directed to SMILE on VISUMAX rather than flap-based LASIK.
- •Not for active keratoconus — irregular tomography halts all corneal laser regardless of platform.
- •Hyperopia and presbyopia need excimer or lens pathways — not SMILE on VISUMAX alone.
How it compares to alternatives
Surgeons may pair VISUMAX 800 with SCHWIND AMARIS or WaveLight EX500 excimer lasers depending on clinic workflow — femtosecond and excimer are different roles. Read: VISUMAX vs AMARIS · VISUMAX vs WaveLight · Femtosecond vs excimer explained.
Safety & what to expect
Femtosecond LASIK and SMILE share the same broad safety profile as modern refractive surgery — serious complications under 1% in suitable candidates. VISUMAX 800 reduces flap-related risks in SMILE because there is no flap. Temporary dry eye after LASIK remains common (roughly 15–35% at 3 months) — less frequent after SMILE. Your written plan names VISUMAX 800 before you travel.
Procedures that use this platform
Technology serves the procedure — your surgeon assigns platform after scans, not before enquiry. These are the treatment pages where this device typically appears in your written plan.
Related conditions: Myopia, Astigmatism
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