The use of a flapless procedure was thought to be less invasive and better protect the cornea’s structural integrity. However, although the corneal incision is smaller in diameter with SMILE, the initial lenticule incision is deeper into the cornea than the LASIK flap incision. Additionally, there is more tissue removal in SMILE surgery and a more significant reduction of corneal strength than LASIK surgery, which is especially true for lower corrections. As a result, SMILE surgery is essentially equally as invasive as LASIK surgery.