While SMILE can cause temporary dry eye symptoms, it generally causes less severe dry eye than LASIK because it disrupts fewer corneal nerves. Dry eye is a common, usually temporary side effect of most types of refractive surgery, including SMILE. Patients may experience symptoms such as a gritty or burning sensation, sensitivity to light, and blurred vision. These symptoms typically peak in the first few days following the procedure and progressively improve over the subsequent weeks to months.