The short answer
All three reshape the cornea with a laser to correct your prescription, but they reach it differently. LASIK lifts a thin flap and gives quick, comfortable recovery. PRK removes the surface skin with no flap, so recovery is slower and more painful, but it suits thinner corneas and contact sports. SMILE removes a tiny disc through a small keyhole, with no flap, and is mainly used for short sight. The best option is the one your corneal scans and lifestyle suit.
Ask about laser eye surgeryMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
LASIK
A laser or blade makes a thin hinged flap in the cornea. A second laser reshapes the tissue beneath, and the flap is laid back. Sight often improves within a day or two, with little pain. The flap does not fully regain its original strength, which is a reason some surgeons prefer other methods for people at risk of eye injury.
PRK (surface laser)
The thin surface skin of the cornea is removed, the laser reshapes the cornea, and a bandage contact lens is worn while the skin grows back over some days. It is more uncomfortable at first and sight settles more slowly, often over weeks. Because there is no flap, it leaves more of the cornea untouched, which can suit thinner corneas, people with dry eye tendencies, and those in contact sports, the military or police work.
SMILE
A laser cuts a tiny disc of tissue inside the cornea, which is removed through a small keyhole incision. There is no flap. Recovery is fairly quick. It is used mainly for short sight with or without astigmatism and is less widely available than LASIK.
How to choose
- Corneal thickness and shape, from your scans
- Your prescription and the type of error
- Your work and sport
- How much time off you can take
- Which procedure the surgeon does often and well
What it costs on Mezo
One fixed price, paid online.
Common questions
Which is the safest?
Each is well established and safe in suitable eyes. Safety depends most on correct selection after a full assessment.
Which has the least dry eye?
Dry eye can follow any of them. Some evidence suggests less with methods that avoid a flap, but it varies. Tell your surgeon if you already have dry eyes.
How long off work?
Often a few days after LASIK or SMILE, and longer after PRK. Your surgeon will advise for your job.
Is the price the same?
Prices differ by method and by centre. On Mezo you get a written quote after the assessment.
The procedures
Related health guides
Read next
Also useful
More patient guides
Colonoscopy preparation in Nigeria: what to eat, what to drink, and whenIs a colonoscopy painful? What it actually feels likeColonoscopy or stool test: which bowel cancer check do you need?When should you have your first colonoscopy?Arranging a colonoscopy or endoscopy for a parent in Nigeria from abroadYour colonoscopy or endoscopy report, explainedHow many physiotherapy sessions will I need?Waist pain: what it means, what helps, and when to see someoneKnee replacement recovery at home, week by weekCaring for someone at home after a stroke: a family guideArranging physiotherapy at home for a parent in Lagos from abroadEbola in Nigeria: what to do if you are worriedCan a hernia heal without surgery? What Nigerians should know before trying belts and herbsHernia surgery recovery: when can I go back to work, lift, drive and have sex?Umbilical hernia in adults vs babies: why one waits and the other needs repairOpen vs laparoscopic (keyhole) hernia repair: which is better for me?Gallstones on my scan: do I need my gallbladder removed?Life and diet after gallbladder removal: what can I eat in Nigeria?Do I need surgery for piles? Pile treatment options in NigeriaPile surgery recovery: the first bowel movement and the weeks afterAnal fissure vs piles: how to tell the differenceAppendicitis signs: is it my appendix, and what should I do tonight?Should I remove my lipoma? When a fatty lump needs surgeryGoitre: when does a swollen thyroid need surgery (thyroidectomy)?Life after thyroidectomy: thyroxine, your voice and calciumIs this mole dangerous? Mole checks and removal on dark skinA lump in the neck: what could it be, and when should I worry?How much does hernia surgery cost in Lagos, and what is included?Is hernia surgery a major operation? How long it takes, how safe it is, and surgery for an elderly parentCan fibroids shrink without surgery? Herbs, diet and drugs in Nigeria, the honest answerMyomectomy or hysterectomy for fibroids: which one is right for me?Can I get pregnant after a myomectomy? Timing, delivery and what to expectMyomectomy recovery week by week: what to expect after fibroid surgeryOpen, keyhole or hysteroscopic myomectomy: which type of fibroid surgery do I need?Do fibroids come back after a myomectomy?Life after a hysterectomy: menopause, sex, your ovaries and your bodyWill I need blood for fibroid surgery? Building your blood before a myomectomyDo ovarian cysts need surgery? When to watch and when to operateWhat is a hysteroscopy, and what does it feel like?D&C after a miscarriage: what to expect, before and afterPlanned (elective) caesarean section in Lagos: planning, timing and what the price includesRecovery after a caesarean section: the first six weeks at homeVaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in Nigeria: can I deliver normally after a CS?Heavy periods: how heavy is too heavy, and when should I see a gynaecologist?Endometriosis surgery in Nigeria: when it helps, what it involves, and what it cannot doFibroid surgery in India or Turkey, or in Nigeria: counting the true cost of the tripWhen does an enlarged prostate need surgery in Nigeria?TURP recovery in Nigeria: the catheter, bleeding, and sex after prostate surgeryEnlarged prostate or prostate cancer? What your PSA result does and does not meanKidney stone: will it pass on its own, or does it need to be removed?How to stop kidney stones coming back: water, salt and food in Nigerian heatIs cystoscopy painful? What the bladder camera test feels likeVasectomy in Nigeria: is it reversible, and does it affect performance?Varicocele and male infertility: does surgery help you get your partner pregnant?Does a hydrocele need surgery? Swollen scrotum in men and boysAdult circumcision in Nigeria: recovery, pain, and when you can have sexBaby circumcision in Nigeria: the right time, and how to care for it at homeUndescended testicle in a baby: when does he need an operation?Laser surgery in Nigeria: what it really treats for kidney stones, prostate, piles and fibroidsWhen is a cataract ready for surgery? Do you have to wait for it to ripen?Cataract surgery in Nigeria: what happens on the day and in the first weekArranging cataract surgery for a parent in Nigeria from abroadGlaucoma treatment in Nigeria: drops, laser or surgery?Does pterygium come back after removal? What lowers the chance in NigeriaDroopy eyelid (ptosis) in adults and children: when is surgery needed?Chalazion or stye? Lumps on the eyelid and when they need removingDoes my child need their tonsils out? When tonsillectomy is worth itWhat to eat after tonsillectomy: Nigerian foods that help and foods to avoidGrommets for glue ear in children: does my child need them?Deviated septum and blocked nose: is septoplasty worth it?Chronic sinusitis in Nigeria: when is sinus surgery the answer?Phaco or SICS cataract surgery: which one is better for you?Choosing a lens for cataract surgery: monofocal, toric or multifocal?Cataract surgery if you have diabetes: is it safe and what changes?Vision cloudy again after cataract surgery? Posterior capsule opacification and YAG laserHow much is cataract surgery in Nigeria, and what should the price include?Questions to ask your eye surgeon before cataract surgeryWho should be checked for glaucoma, and how often? Family history and ageWhy glaucoma eye drops are for life, and what to do if you cannot afford themSLT laser for glaucoma: what it is, who it suits and how long it lastsGlaucoma or cataract: what is the difference, and which is more serious?How often should someone with diabetes have an eye check?Diabetic retinopathy treatment: laser or eye injections?Avastin eye injection: what it is, does it hurt, and how many will I need?Diabetic macular oedema: what it means and how it is treatedDiabetes in pregnancy and your eyes: why you need extra eye checksAm I too old for LASIK? Laser eye surgery after 40Will my child's squint go away on its own?Lazy eye (amblyopia) and patching: how long, and is it too late?Squint surgery for adults: is it too late to straighten your eyes?Squint surgery recovery: what to expect for adults and childrenFlashes and floaters in your eye: when is it an emergency?Retinal detachment surgery: vitrectomy or scleral buckle, and head positioning afterCan you fly after retinal surgery with a gas bubble in your eye?Red eye: is it Apollo (conjunctivitis) or an emergency?Am I too young or too old for a knee replacement?Knee replacement in Nigeria or abroad in India: how to decideHip replacement for sickle cell: avascular necrosis of the hip in NigeriaHow to prepare for a knee or hip replacement: the weeks before surgeryKnee arthroscopy (keyhole knee surgery): what it can and cannot fixACL tear: do I need surgery, or can physiotherapy fix it?Bone setter or hospital for a broken bone? Fracture treatment in NigeriaCarpal tunnel syndrome: splint, injection or surgery?Trigger finger, ganglion and other hand problems: when do they need surgery?Slipped disc: when do you need back surgery?Is liposuction safe in Nigeria? How to tell a safe surgeon from a dangerous oneTummy tuck or liposuction: which one does my stomach need?When is the right time for a mommy makeover after having children?Is a BBL safe in Nigeria? The honest answer before you bookRecovery after liposuction or a tummy tuck: garment, heat, travel and warning signsDo I need a breast reduction? Who it helps and what to try firstMale breasts (gynecomastia): do I need surgery or will it go away?Rhinoplasty for African noses: what can change and what should stayWhy do keloids come back after removal, and what actually works?How to choose a plastic surgeon in Lagos: MDCN checks and the questions to askAm I a candidate for a hair transplant? Who it helps and who should waitAre fillers and Botox safe? What to know before injections in LagosHow to prepare for surgery in Nigeria: fasting, medicines, blood tests and who takes you homeArranging surgery for a parent in Nigeria from the UK, US or CanadaGeneral vs spinal vs local anaesthesia: which one will I have, and is spinal safe?Is it safe to have surgery in Nigeria? The questions to ask the hospital firstWhat should an all-in surgery price include in Nigeria? The bill surprises to watch forShould I get a second opinion before surgery in Nigeria?Surgery with diabetes or high blood pressure in Nigeria: getting fit for the operationSickle cell and surgery in Nigeria: how to have an operation safely with SS or SCBlood for surgery in Nigeria: why families are asked to bring donors, and what to doComing home after surgery: wound care, warning signs and when to callSurgery cost in a government hospital vs a private hospital in Nigeria: hernia, appendix, fibroid and CSDoes HMO cover surgery in Nigeria? What plans pay for, what they leave out, and what to askHow to pay for surgery in Nigeria: a written quote, deposits, HMO top-ups and family abroadHow to choose a surgeon in Nigeria: registration, experience, a written quote and who handles complicationsHow long do babies stay in NICU? What Lagos parents should expectNewborn jaundice: when to worry about a yellow babyPreparing your child for surgery: fasting, what to say, and the day itselfPaediatrician or specialist? Choosing the right children's doctor in LagosSickle cell in children: what a specialist addsMy child had a fit with a fever: what to do now and nextHeart murmur in a child: innocent or a hole in the heart?Is my child too short? When to see a growth specialistGroin hernia in a baby: why it should be repaired soonBringing a premature baby home from the neonatal unitCataract surgery in Kaduna: what to expect, what is included and what to askEye doctor in Kaduna: ophthalmologist or optometrist, and how to chooseGlaucoma check in Kaduna: who needs one and what the test involvesDiabetic eye check in Kaduna: why every person with diabetes needs oneRetinal laser for diabetic eye disease in Kaduna: what it does and what to expectRetinal detachment in Kaduna: flashes, floaters or a curtain need help todaySquint in children in Kaduna: when glasses, patching or surgery are neededTravelling to Kaduna for eye surgery from Zaria, Kafanchan, Katsina, Kano or AbujaEye care for an elderly parent in Kaduna: what to check and how to helpEye surgery in Kaduna from Zaria: cataract, squint and retinaEye surgery in Kaduna from Kafanchan: planning the trip northEye care in Kaduna from Kachia and Zonkwa: what to sort out at home firstEye care in Kaduna from Saminaka and Lere: the road west and what to bringEye surgery in Kaduna from Funtua: the Zaria road and a two-night planEye surgery in Kaduna from Katsina: making a long journey one tripEye surgery in Kaduna from Kano: when it makes sense to travelEye surgery in Kaduna from Gusau: planning a journey across two statesEye surgery in Kaduna from Minna: by road through Suleja or by trainEye surgery in Kaduna from Suleja: the expressway or the train from KubwaEye surgery in Kaduna from Abuja: taking the train to RigasaEye surgery in Kaduna from Jos: retina surgery and the climb back up the plateau
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- LASIK: laser eye surgery. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Patient information.
- PRK: photorefractive keratectomy. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Patient information.
- What is SMILE surgery?. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Patient information.
Links last checked 23 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.