West Des Moines, Iowa, June 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Des Moines, Iowa - June 26, 2026 - -
Modern Vision Centers, a LASIK surgeon located in West Des Moines, Iowa, performs SMILE eye surgery for patients across the Des Moines metropolitan area and state of Iowa. Co-founder Drew Dickson, MD, PCEO, was confirmed in a December 2025 announcement distributed via Globe Newswire as the only Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery and Visual Sciences in the state of Iowa, a credential held by fewer than 3.33 percent of refractive surgeons nationwide. The practice has published a patient education resource titled "SMILE" that outlines candidacy criteria, the laser technology behind the procedure, and what patients can expect before, during, and after surgery.
SMILE, also known as Small Incision Lenticule Extraction, is the latest form of laser vision correction available in the United States and treats nearsightedness and astigmatism. At Modern Vision Centers, SMILE is performed using the ZEISS VisuMax femtosecond laser, the system that received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for SMILE in 2016 and remains the only laser in the United States capable of performing the procedure. The ZEISS VisuMax creates a thin, lens-shaped piece of corneal tissue, called a lenticule, just beneath the surface of the cornea. Dr. Dickson then removes the lenticule through a small incision, which alters the shape of the cornea and improves how light is focused onto the retina. The incision used in SMILE is approximately 80 percent smaller than the corneal flap created during LASIK, and the procedure typically takes 10 minutes or less per patient. Because SMILE does not involve creating a flap, fewer corneal nerves are disrupted, which the practice's educational materials note can result in a shorter period of temporary dryness compared with LASIK. Most patients return to daily activities, including work and driving, within 24 hours of the procedure.
According to the patient education materials at mvcvision.com, SMILE candidates are typically at least 18 years old, have a stable prescription unchanged for at least one year, are nearsighted within a range of -1.00 to -10.00 diopters, and have up to 3.00 diopters of astigmatism. SMILE may also be a suitable option for patients with thin corneas or contact lens intolerance who are not ideal candidates for LASIK. The procedure is not appropriate for patients who are farsighted, currently pregnant or nursing, or who have specific eye conditions identified during pre-operative evaluation. Patients in the Des Moines metropolitan area can access LASIK, PRK, EVO ICL, and additional laser and lens-based vision correction procedures at the West Des Moines location alongside SMILE.
Dr. Dickson completed his residency at the Storm Eye Institute. He earned his undergraduate degree Summa Cum Laude from Liberty University, is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and completed executive training through the Physician CEO program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. The December 2025 Globe Newswire announcement confirming his standing as Iowa's sole WCRS Fellow added independent third-party verification to a credential issued only after a structured fellowship and examination process in refractive surgery and visual sciences. Dr. Dickson personally performs SMILE procedures at the practice's West Des Moines location.
"Patients researching SMILE often ask how it differs from LASIK, and the most meaningful difference is structural," said Dr. Drew Dickson, MD, PCEO, board-certified ophthalmologist, the only Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery in Iowa, and co-founder of Modern Vision Centers. "SMILE uses an incision roughly 80 percent smaller than the LASIK flap and removes a single piece of corneal tissue called a lenticule. For nearsighted patients with stable prescriptions and astigmatism within the FDA-approved range, it represents the newest laser vision correction option available in the United States, and the ZEISS VisuMax laser is what makes it possible."
Modern Vision Centers is located at 6880 EP True Pkwy Suite 110 in West Des Moines and serves patients across the broader Des Moines metropolitan area, including Urbandale and Ankeny. Driving directions from West Des Moines to the practice are available through Google Maps, and the practice can be reached at (515) 674-2020. Initial visits include the practice's EyeAnalysis, a 60-minute diagnostic exam used to evaluate candidacy for SMILE and the other refractive procedures offered at the practice. Patients who proceed with a procedure are then enrolled in VisionTrack, the practice's long-term post-procedure monitoring program.
For more information about SMILE eye surgery at Modern Vision Centers in West Des Moines, Iowa, residents of the Des Moines area can visit mvcvision.com or view the practice's Google Business Profile. The practice continues to make SMILE available alongside its laser and lens-based vision correction procedures at the West Des Moines location.
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For more information about Modern Vision Centers, contact the company here:
Modern Vision Centers
Jordan Maddox
(515) 674-2020
jmaddexkopp@aligned.vision
6880 EP True Pkwy Suite 110, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Jordan Maddox
