Astigmatic patients who believe they cannot get laser eye surgery are the ones I encounter frequently. Contrary to popular belief, astigmatism can now be treated with laser eye surgery. This fallacy dates back to the initial stages of laser vision correction.
You may have thought about having surgery with lasers to treat your astigmatism if you do. Despite everything, it has an exceptionally high level of effectiveness in addressing various visual issues, such as close-up vision and farsightedness.
What is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a frequent vision issue where the cornea or the lens of the eye has an uneven curve, as you are surely aware. Simply said, it indicates that the shape of your eye is closer to that of a rugby ball rather than a football.
Because there are now two focal sites instead of one where light reaches the eye as a result of this curvature, vision may become distorted and fuzzy.
Astigmatism mostly comes in two forms:
- Corneal astigmatism, which is a deformed cornea.
- Lenticular astigmatism: this is a misaligned lens
Both have identical side effects and although it isn’t always the case, both can be caused by hyperopia (farsightedness) and myopia (nearsightedness).
What Are The Causes of Astigmatism?
The cornea, the front surface of the eye, has a twofold curvature that contributes to astigmatism, a refractive mistake.
A typical eye has a soccer-ball-like shape. This design enables a single beam of light to enter and concentrate at a single point on the retina, the tissue that is light-sensitive at the inner side of the eye, creating a sharp image.
The shape of an astigmatic individual’s eye is more resembling a rugby ball. This structure prevents light from focusing at a single point on the retina and allows it to enter the retina from two different angles. As a result, vision becomes cloudy or fuzzy.
Several individuals have some level of astigmatism, which is very common. Most people’s minor astigmatism does not result in noticeable vision alterations; hence, it does not require correction. Correction is required when astigmatism results in distorted or blurred vision, though.
Astigmatism is frequently present alongside short-sightedness (myopia) or long-sightedness (hyperopia).
Read More: How Long Does Laser Eye Surgery Take?
What Are The Symptoms of Astigmatism?
Vision impairment at all distances is the primary sign of astigmatism. Additionally, reading may cause headaches, squinting, weariness, and eyestrain. During a typical eye examination, an optometrist can identify astigmatism.
The following are some of astigmatism’s most prevalent symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Eye irritation
- Eye discomfort
- Difficulty reading
- Squinting
- Eyestrain
- Limited night vision
- Blurry vision (far away or/up close)
However, astigmatism doesn’t always show any symptoms. Some people may not be aware that they have astigmatism. Therefore, it’s crucial to schedule routine visits with your optometrist in order to see issues early and stop them from getting worse.
When examining your eyes to discover if you have astigmatism, an optometrist uses a keratometer to evaluate the shape of your cornea. A refraction test and a visual acuity assessment can both be used to gauge a person’s ability to see letters from different distances.
In the event that astigmatism is found, you can be given a doctor’s recommendation for glasses or contact lens materials, which may assist you in instantly improving your vision.
What Can Be Done to Treat Astigmatism?
There are three ways to treat astigmatism: contact lenses, laser eye surgery, or spectacles.
Astigmatism can be treated with contact lenses or prescription glasses, coupled with long- or short-sightedness, if necessary.
As an alternative, astigmatism can be treated with laser eye surgery to improve your eyesight. Astigmatism can be treated using any of the different laser vision correction techniques that surgeons offer, including SMILE, ASLA, and LASIK. Long- or short-sightedness may also be treated concurrently if you have one of these conditions.
How Can Laser Eye Surgery Treat Astigmatism?
The curved shape of the outermost part of the eye is adjusted during astigmatism laser eye surgery by removing a small quantity of corneal tissue with a laser. In other words, it changes the form of the eye so that it resembles a soccer ball rather than a rugby ball. As a result, light may now concentrate on your retina at just one point, improving your vision.
Is Laser Eye Surgery An Option For Everyone With Astigmatism?
Most astigmatic patients who fulfill the basic requirements for eligibility can have cataract surgery using lasers. An individual’s blurred vision (glasses prescription) may occasionally be too high or too erratic for laser eye surgery.
Following an in-depth exam, a laser eye doctor will let you know if laser eye surgery can treat your astigmatism and which kind of laser eye surgery is best for you. This is dependent on your lifestyle choices, corneal health, and corneal thickness.
Over 55 patients with astigmatism may benefit more from lens exchange surgery than laser eye surgery. The natural lens of the eye is removed during lens exchanges or cataract procedures and is changed out with a synthetic lens. Astigmatism can be cured with the use of toric lenses, a particular kind of replacement lens.
Is Astigmatism Laser Surgery a Secure Procedure?
Astigmatism laser eye surgery is a common and effective operation that is quite safe. Nevertheless, there are certain potential hazards to be aware of, just like with any other surgery. These consist of:
- Postoperative complications include dry pain, eyes, and vision problems that may last for as long as six months before they go away.
- The cornea may become injured during or after surgery.
- For the best outcomes, you could require another procedure.
Although severe vision loss is extremely uncommon, you should talk to a physician about this to get personalized advice. If you qualify as an excellent fit for the operation, they will be able to tell.
The majority of people need to be better candidates for laser cataract surgery. You must be a minimum of 21 years young to be able to undergo the procedure, and those having thin or cracked corneas, for instance, are more vulnerable to its hazards.