Do you have distorted or blurred vision due to astigmatism? Are you tired of always relying on glasses or contact lenses to see?
You may be wondering if LASIK can provide a lasting solution to your astigmatism and help you achieve long-term visual freedom. Keep reading to learn more about whether LASIK can fix astigmatism.
What is Astigmatism?
Normally, the cornea is round, like a basketball. This ensures incoming light bends properly and focuses precisely on the retina, allowing you to see clearly.
However, with astigmatism, the cornea is oval-shaped, similar to a football. The irregular shape prevents light entering your eye from bending as it should and focusing sharply on the retina.
As a result, your vision becomes distorted at all distances. Astigmatism often occurs alongside other refractive errors, such as farsightedness or nearsightedness.
What is LASIK?
LASIK, short for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, is a laser eye surgery that corrects refractive errors, including astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. This popular procedure can significantly reduce or eliminate your reliance on glasses.
Following LASIK, you may not need visual aids at all or only require them for a few activities, allowing you to live a better quality of life without the bothersome symptoms of astigmatism or the hassles of glasses or contacts.
How Does LASIK Fix Astigmatism?
LASIK makes an irregular cornea due to astigmatism more even, correcting astigmatism. During the quick outpatient procedure, your LASIK surgeon will start by administering numbing eye drops so you don’t feel pain and are comfortable throughout the procedure.
If you’re nervous, which is perfectly normal, you may be given a mild sedative to help you feel at ease. Your LASIK surgeon will then place special instruments on your eye to keep you from blinking and ensure your eye remains in position.
Next, they’ll create a thin flap in the outer layer of the cornea with a femtosecond laser. They’ll fold back the corneal flap to reach the underlying tissue.
Then, your LASIK surgeon will use an excimer laser to reshape the part of the cornea called the stroma. Reshaping your stroma involves removing small amounts of tissue to make your cornea more rounded, thereby treating your astigmatism.
Changing the shape of your cornea can allow you to see more clearly without relying on glasses or contact lenses. Once completed, your LASIK surgeon will carefully put the flap back in its original position.
The flap starts reattaching itself immediately without needing stitches and continues to heal over the next few days. LASIK is typically done on both eyes on the same day and takes about 30 minutes or less to complete.
Who is a Good Candidate for LASIK?
While LASIK has a high success rate, the effectiveness of the procedure will depend on the severity of your astigmatism. LASIK is most effective if you have mild to moderate astigmatism.
Additionally, you should meet the following criteria to have LASIK:
- You’re at least 18 years old
- Your corneas are thick enough to create a corneal flap
- Your prescription has remained stable in the last year
- Your eyes are healthy, free from conditions like severe dry eye, keratoconus, or glaucoma
- You have good overall health
- You’re not pregnant or nursing
At Stahl Eyecare Experts, our experienced eye doctors consider LASIK candidates on a case-by-case basis. They can determine if LASIK is right for you, and if not, they may suggest an alternative procedure that suits your lifestyle, health history, and vision needs.
Do you want to correct your astigmatism? Schedule your free, no-obligation LASIK consultation to find out if the procedure could be your key to clearer vision.
