SMILE® Pro
Flapless. Minimally invasive. The next generation.
Up to 45Short-sightedAstigmatism
Lens surgery · Vision correction
Implantable lenses (ICL) in Germany
For high prescriptions and thin corneas. Reversible.
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Medical content prepared for review by Dr. med. Levent Kanal, head surgeonIn short
An ICL is a thin, soft lens placed inside the eye, between the iris and your own natural lens, which stays in place. It corrects high short-sightedness and astigmatism that laser cannot — up to about −20 D — without touching the cornea. The operation takes about 15 minutes per eye, one eye per day. It is reversible: the lens can be removed or exchanged.
How it works — 3 steps
- 1We measure the space inside your eye.Anterior chamber depth and endothelial cells decide whether an ICL fits. The lens is then made in your size and power.
- 2The folded lens is inserted through a 3 mm opening.Drops numb the eye. The lens unfolds behind the iris, in front of your own lens. No stitches.
- 3You see the next morning.Your own lens keeps working; the ICL adds the correction. The second eye follows the next day.
Surgery time
≈ 15 min per eye
About two hours in the clinic
Both eyes
Two consecutive days
One trip, about four days
Anaesthesia
Eye drops
No injection, no general anaesthesia
Opening
≈ 3 mm
Self-sealing, no stitches
Reversible
Yes
The lens can be removed or exchanged
Suitable for
−3 to −20 D
Astigmatism up to 6 D · age 21–45
SuitabilityIs ICL implantation right for you?
A first orientation. The examination gives the final answer.
Good fit if …
- Short-sighted between about −3 and −20 D, with or without astigmatism.
- Cornea too thin or too irregular for laser, or very dry eyes.
- 21 to 45, prescription stable for one year.
- Enough space in the front of the eye — we measure this.
- You want a correction that can be reversed.
Better alternatives if …
- Up to −10 D with a healthy cornea → SMILE® Pro or Femto-LASIK are simpler
- Over 45 with reading glasses → Presbyond® or a lens exchange
- Shallow anterior chamber or low endothelial cell count → we say no; the lens needs room
- Glaucoma, cataract, uveitis or retinal disease → we treat that first, or discuss other options.
Not sure? Tell us about your eyes. The head surgeon gives you a first answer, usually within one working day.
CompareICL, laser or lens exchange?
Three ways to correct a high prescription. The examination shows which one is yours.
LASIK not possible? Your options
Dr. Kanal explains in one minute.
| ICL | Eye laser | Lens exchange | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Inside the eye, in front of the natural lens | Cornea | Inside the eye, natural lens replaced |
| Range | −3 to −20 D | −10 to +4 D | Almost any |
| Cornea | Untouched | Reshaped | Untouched |
| Natural lens | Stays | Stays | Replaced |
| Dry eyes | Low | Possible at first | Low |
| Reversible | Yes | No | No — but the lens can be exchanged |
| Typical age | 21–45 | 18–45 | 45+ |
| Both eyes | Two consecutive days | Same day | Two consecutive days |
Very high values
ICL plus laser: bioptics.
Above the ICL range, or when astigmatism remains after the lens, the two methods can be combined: the ICL takes the main part of the correction inside the eye, a laser fine-tunes the rest on the cornea a few months later. Rare, planned only when the examination shows it is needed.
ProcedureExamination, two surgery days, final check.
One examination, one eye per day on two consecutive days, a final check. All at our surgical centres in Wiesbaden and Düsseldorf.
Visit 1 · about 90 minutes
Examination
- We measure the depth of the anterior chamber, the endothelial cells, the pupil size and your exact prescription.
- Corneal topography and OCT rule out keratoconus and retinal problems.
- Dr. Kanal explains whether an ICL fits your eye — and whether laser would do the same job more simply.
- Pupils are dilated; do not drive afterwards. No contact lenses for 1–2 weeks before.
Visits 2 and 3 · one eye each
Surgery days
- Come without make-up. Bring sunglasses and, if you can, a companion.
- Drops numb the eye; you may get a mild sedative. You see light and movement, no detail. No pain.
- Through a 3 mm opening the folded lens is inserted and unfolds behind the iris. Position and pressure are checked. About 15 minutes.
- A short rest, then you go home with a protective shield. The second eye follows the next day, after a check of the first.
LASIK not possible? These are your options
When the lens is the better answer.
Modern eye medicine for clear vision
How we work at Dr. Look.
The lens: made to your eye
- Soft collamer material, invisible from outside, with a UV filter.
- Made in your size and power, including astigmatism (toric).
- Sits behind the iris; your own lens keeps its natural focusing.
Visit 4 · next morning
Final check
- The morning after the second eye we check pressure, the position of both lenses and your vision, and go through your drops. Most patients see well enough to come on their own.
- Then you travel home. Afterwards, routine eye check-ups near your home — the lens position and the pressure are checked once a year.
Dr. med. Levent Kanal · Head surgeon
“The ICL is the answer for eyes that laser should not touch: very high values, thin corneas, dry eyes. It adds a lens instead of removing tissue, and it can be taken out again. Measuring the space inside the eye is everything — that is where I take my time.”
Cataract and corneal surgeon · trainer of eye surgeons · 20+ years
Every ICL implantation is performed by the head surgeon himself.
RecoveryResults you can plan for.
The first days, and what you can realistically expect.
Back to everyday life
| Screen, reading, TV | next day; both eyes together from day 4 |
| Driving | after the final check |
| Shower, hair washing | next day, no water in the eyes for 1 week |
| Sport, gym | after 2 weeks |
| Eye make-up | after 2 weeks |
| Swimming, sauna | after 4 weeks |
What you do
- Use your drops as scheduled for about 4 weeks — they prevent infection and inflammation.
- Do not rub or press the eye for 2 weeks. Wear the shield at night in the first week.
- Keep the yearly check: the lens position and the eye pressure are measured once a year.
- Red, painful eye, sudden blur or new floaters? Call us the same day.
What to expect
Clear vision the next morning, often as sharp as with your best glasses. Final result after about 4 weeks. Published long-term studies show stable results over many years.
What it does not do
It does not stop the eye from ageing: reading glasses can still come from the mid-forties, and a cataract can develop later as in any eye — the ICL is then removed during cataract surgery. It does not treat retinal disease.
RisksThe complete list.
Complication rates are low in long-term studies. Low is not the same as none. Here is the complete list.
The 3 biggest fears before surgery
Dr. Kanal answers them in one minute.
Halos at night
Rings around lights in the first weeks, mostly from the lens edge. They fade for most; the lens size is chosen to keep them low.
Pressure rise
Rarely the eye pressure rises in the first days. We check it the next morning and treat it with drops.
Cataract
Very rarely the natural lens behind the ICL clouds earlier than it would. The ICL is then removed and a cataract operation follows.
Lens position
If the lens sits too high or too low, it can be exchanged for another size. That is why we measure before and check the position afterwards.
Dry or irritated eye at first
A scratchy or dry feeling in the first days is normal and settles with the drops. The cornea itself is not touched, so long-term dry eyes are uncommon.
Very rare complications
Infection or inflammation are very rare. Our centres work to clinical hygiene standards, and your drops are part of that protection.
“Trust begins with openness. We go through every point on this list together, with your own measurements on the screen.”
Dr. med. Levent Kanal · Head surgeon
Lens surgery patient
Patient story
“Finally without glasses. Waking up and simply seeing — that is a new life.”
CostsA written quote after the examination.
No price list on the website: the quote depends on your eyes and the method. This is what you can expect.
When you get the quote
After the examination, in writing, before you decide. No obligation.
What the quote lists
Examination, the lens and the treatment of both eyes, the drops for the first weeks and the checks in our clinics — item by item.
Insurance and invoice
A private medical service in Germany. You receive an itemised invoice (GOÄ) for your insurer. Ask your insurer beforehand what they reimburse.
How you pay
By bank transfer or card, in euros. Payment options for patients from abroad are explained with the quote.
Prices are not published online because they depend on the findings of your examination. We answer cost questions personally: ask us.
From further awayComing from another region or from abroad?
Two steps. First we check remotely whether ICL implantation is right for you. Only then do you travel — once, for about four days.
1Before you travel
Remote assessmentA first answer before you travel.
You tell us about your eyes and your current values in a private conversation. Dr. Kanal says whether ICL implantation is realistic for you. If the answer is no, you do not travel.
What we will ask you
- Your current glasses or lens values
- Your age and how long your values have been stable
- Contact lens type and any eye conditions
You get a personal answer from Dr. Kanal, usually within one working day.
Your planFour days. One trip.
- 1
Day 1 · Examination
About 90 minutes. Measuring the space inside the eye.
- 2
Day 2 · First eye
About two hours in the clinic, 15 minutes of surgery.
- 3
Day 3 · Second eye
Check of the first eye, then the second operation.
- 4
Day 4 · Final check
In the morning. Then you travel home.
- +
At home
Routine eye check-ups near your home, once a year with lens position and pressure.
Coming from further away? The schedule can differ from this plan. Ask us before you book anything. Ask about your plan · WhatsApp
2Your visit
About 4 days with usExamination, one eye per day, and a final check.
Once the remote assessment is positive, we plan the four days around your arrival in Wiesbaden or Düsseldorf. All later checks take place near your home.
Which airport, and how do I reach the clinic?Languages
Consultation and all documents in German and English.
Insurance and invoice
A private medical service in Germany. Itemised invoice for your insurer. Written quote after the examination.
Aftercare at home
Written report for your eye doctor. We stay reachable by WhatsApp for questions after you return.
Live in Rhine-Main or the Rhineland? Then no travel planning is needed. Your follow-up checks can take place at any of our 12 locations. Find your nearest clinic
Why Dr. LookOne surgeon for every patient. Two surgical centres.
Dr. med. Levent Kanal operates on every patient himself, in Wiesbaden and Düsseldorf: thousands of operations in 20 years. He leads a large team and trains young surgeons.
20+ years
of surgical experience
Thousands
of operations, every one by the head surgeon
12 locations
one surgeon, two surgical centres
Large team
led personally; young surgeons trained here
Beyond the clinicTraining young surgeons. Giving back.
Teaching
Training the next generation of eye surgeons
Ophthalmology wetlab in Aschaffenburg · Dr. Kanal as instructor
Community
Social commitment
Neuss integration run · sport connects people
Dr. Look channelHear it from our patients.
Patient storiesModern eye medicine for clear vision
Dr. Levent Kanal
Why Dr. Look
Artificial lenses compared — monofocal, multifocal or EDoF?Lens surgery
LASIK not possible? These are your optionsLens surgery
Crosslinking for keratoconus: effect & benefitsEye healthQuestions about ICL implantation
What is an ICL?
A thin, soft lens placed inside the eye between the iris and your own lens, which stays in place. It corrects high short-sightedness and astigmatism without touching the cornea.
Does my natural lens stay?
Yes. The ICL sits in front of it. Your own lens keeps focusing as before, so reading vision is unchanged.
Is it reversible?
Yes. The lens can be removed or exchanged, for example if your prescription changes a lot or a cataract develops later.
Can I feel or see the lens?
No. It is invisible from outside and you do not feel it. It stays in the eye permanently unless it is removed.
Both eyes on the same day?
No. The second eye follows the next day, after a check of the first. Both are done in one trip of about four days.
Does it hurt?
No. Drops numb the eye and you may get a mild sedative. You see light and movement during the 15 minutes, no detail.
What if I get a cataract later?
The ICL is removed during the cataract operation and the new lens is calculated as usual. Nothing is lost.
Who performs the treatment?
Dr. med. Levent Kanal, the head surgeon, performs every ICL implantation himself. In Wiesbaden and Düsseldorf.
I live far away. How many days do I need?
About four days: examination, first eye, second eye, final check. We first assess remotely whether the treatment is realistic for you; then you travel once. Afterwards, routine eye check-ups near your home.
What does it cost?
You get a written quote after the examination, listing everything included. In Germany this is a private service.
LocationsFind the clinic closest to you
Two surgical centres and ten clinics. Choose your region and get directions in one tap.
Your journey to usWhich airport, and how do I reach the clinic?
Choose your surgical centre. The map shows the airport, the other clinics and the way to us.
Other treatmentsWhich method suits your eyes?
Laser or lens: the examination shows which treatment fits. Here are the alternatives at a glance.
Femto-LASIK
Proven. Precise. With the widest correction range.
Up to 45Short-sightedLong-sightedAstigmatism
Presbyond®
Near and far vision. Without reading glasses.
From 45PresbyopiaAstigmatism
Multifocal lenses
Reading, screen and driving with one lens.
From 45PresbyopiaCataract
EDoF lenses
Far and screen distance, with fewer halos at night.
From 45PresbyopiaCataract
Refractive lens exchange
The natural lens is replaced. No cataract later in life.
From 45PresbyopiaCataract
Cataract
Outpatient, about 15 minutes per eye. Clear the next morning.
OutpatientMonofocalMultifocalEDoF
Scientific sources
What this page is based on
Scientific sources
What this page is based on
Peer-reviewed studies and medical societies only. No manufacturer or commercial sources.
- Peer-reviewed study
Meta-analysis and review: effectiveness, safety, and central port design of the intraocular collamer lens
Packer M · Clinical Ophthalmology 2016;10:1059–1077
- Peer-reviewed study
The Implantable Collamer Lens with a central port: review of the literature
Packer M · Clinical Ophthalmology 2018;12:2427–2438
- Peer-reviewed study
Excimer laser refractive surgery versus phakic intraocular lenses for the correction of moderate to high myopia
Barsam A, Allan BD · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014;(6):CD007679
- Peer-reviewed study
Eight-year follow-up of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation for moderate to high myopia
Igarashi A, Shimizu K, Kamiya K · American Journal of Ophthalmology 2014;157(3):532–539
- Medical society
Assessment and quality assurance of refractive surgical procedures
Kommission Refraktive Chirurgie (KRC) of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) and the Professional Association of Ophthalmologists (BVA)
- Patient information
Phakic intraocular lenses
American Academy of Ophthalmology, EyeSmart patient information