Astigmatism is a common abnormality of the cornea. Instead of being round in shape, similar to a basketball, a cornea with astigmatism is oblong and shaped like a football. It may be asymmetrical, or curved more in one direction than the other.
If you have astigmatism, it may appear as though you are looking into a distorted “fun house” mirror as vision may be blurry or distorted in some areas and sharp in other areas. The reason for this is that the abnormal shape of the cornea prevents light entering the eye from properly focusing on the retina. In addition, fine print may be blurry, or you might need to squint to see objects near or far. Lastly, you may also experience other symptoms such as headaches and eye discomfort or irritation.
In the early years of laser eye surgery, LASIK could not treat astigmatism and you had to rely on eyeglasses or contacts to achieve visual clarity. But technology has since drastically progressed, and laser eye surgeons’ expertise has expanded. Nowadays, eye surgeons can safely and quickly treat astigmatism to eliminate dependence on corrective eyewear with laser eye procedures like LASIK.
In other words, you no longer need to be bound to glasses or contact lenses in order to see the world clearly!
See the World Clearly with All-Laser LASIK
All-laser LASIK eye surgery involves using a combination of leading-edge lasers to treat the cornea in order to improve refractive errors. During LASIK, our surgeons first use a femtosecond laser to create a flap on the surface of the cornea; next, we employ an excimer laser to smooth out the corneal tissue.
With regards to astigmatism in particular, we are able to restore the symmetry of the cornea to create a spherical shape. When the cornea is more symmetrical, light entering the eye can properly focus on the retina. The result is clear vision without the need for contacts or glasses!
Talk to Our LASIK Surgeons
If you have astigmatism and are tired of the effort and expense of relying on corrective lenses such as glasses or contacts to see, all-laser LASIK may be a suitable option for you! To speak with one of our experienced LASIK surgeons, schedule an appointment to determine your candidacy by calling or emailing Laser Eye Center™ today.
