At Peña Eye Institute, we have helped countless patients in and around the Rio Grande Valley achieve excellent vision. Many times this is thanks to state-of-the-art custom LASIK surgery, which is able to address refractive errors.
Some patients have asked us how effective LASIK is at treating astigmatism. Let's look into that right now.
What is astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a type of refractive error that affects a person's vision. When a person suffer from astigmatism, the light that passes through their eye focuses in multiple points of the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) rather than just a single point. When this happens, it causes vision to be blurred both nearby and at a distance.
Astigmatism can also lead to eyestrain and headaches when a person reads for a long amount of time or engages in activities that require use of their vision.
Astigmatism Often Accompanies Other Refractive Errors
Astigmatism commonly accompanies other refractive errors that impact vision quality, such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). This means an overall poor quality to a person's vision.
How LASIK Works in General
LASIK is a refractive surgery procedure, which means that it reshapes the cornea in order to improve the passage and focus of light as it enters the eyes. By doing this, the light will focus properly on the retina in a single point, enhancing overall vision quality in the process.
How LASIK Can Help Address Astigmatism
During LASIK, the surgeon will first take a digital scan of the cornea in order to assess any imperfections in contour that may result in refractive errors such as astigmatism. The LASIK laser, guided by the digital scan of the cornea, reshapes the overall contour to ensure the proper passage and focus of light on the retina.
Is LASIK effective when treating astigmatism?
Yes.
LASIK is able to treat all kinds of refractive errors in a manner that is very safe. The results of modern-day LASIK are far superior to the results of previous forms of the surgery. In fact, thanks to the digital mapping technology noted above, more and more patients are seeing extremely clearly without the need for glasses or contacts.
Candidates for LASIK
Good candidates for LASIK:
- Are at least 18 years of age
- Have healthy, regularly shaped corneas
- Have had a stable prescription for at least a year
- Are not pregnant or nursing
- Do not suffer from dry eye syndrome
- Have not experienced an eye infection or injury for at least a year
We can assess your candidacy for LASIK during a complimentary consultation at our practice.
Alternatives to LASIK
If you are not an ideal candidate for LASIK, there are surgical alternatives that are similar and yield results that are just as good. PRK, for instance, can be performed on patients whose corneas are thin or shaped differently than the norm.
If laser eye surgery is a poor option for your needs, the use of corrective lenses may be the most ideal treatment option to consider.
Learn More About LASIK Surgery
For more information about LASIK and your many other options for improving your vision, be sure to contact our team of eye care specialists today. The specialists at Peña Eye Institute will work closely with you to ensure that your eyes are healthy and your vision is the best that it can be.
