Astigmatism

Signs of Astigmatism 

If you experience blurry vision in one or both eyes,  you probably have astigmatism. This is when your eye comes to a point, much like a football, which results in multiple focal points. The cornea’s uneven curvature can’t bend light evenly and smoothly, resulting in a refractive error that causes the blurred vision.

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When the cornea on the front of your eye is responsible for the irregular eye shape, you have corneal astigmatism. When the lens is distorted, you have lenticular astigmatism. If you have nearsighted astigmatism, the focal points are located in front of the retina. If you have farsighted astigmatism, the focal points are located behind the retina.

Regardless of which type of astigmatism is blurring your vision, you can visit one of the lasik, cataract and vision correction expert surgeons listed in the Trusted Lasik Surgeons™ directory to have this condition corrected.

Signs of Astigmatism

While the word “astigmatism” sounds quite serious, it’s actually a very common condition. In fact, most eyes have some degree of astigmatism, just not enough to cause vision problems. However, you may have mild to moderate astigmatism if you experience these symptoms:

• Blurred vision

• Areas of distorted vision

• Eyestrain or discomfort

• Headaches

• Squinting to see clearly

When to Seek Care for Astigmatism

The signs of astigmatism are present with other conditions that result in refractive errors, including myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). In short, if you experience eye or vision problems of any kind, you should visit one an ophthalmologist featured at Trusted LASIK Surgeons™ for a complete eye exam.

If you are diagnosed with astigmatism, you can decide what type of care to pursue. For mild to moderate cases, toric contact lenses are all you need to correct astigmatism. If contacts aren’t right for your lifestyle, you can vision correction surgery.

Vision Correction Surgical Procedures for Astigmatism

No single ophthalmology treatment is right for every case of astigmatism. Always speak with an experience vision correction surgery to consider the best available options before making your choice.

Laser Vision Correction

• LASIK, is effective at correcting astigmatism with a severity of up to 4 or 5 Diopters. The surgery corrects myopia and hyperopia at the same time to provide crystal clear vision.
• PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratectomy) is a procedure that reshapes the cornea to correct myopia or hyperopia, with or without astigmatism present. This technique is designed to treat corneal astigmatism
• ASA (Advanced Surface Ablation) is a flapless laser procedure that reshapes the cornea to correct astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia, ideal for patients with thin corneas or high-risk lifestyles.
• SMILE Eye Surgery(Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) is a minimally invasive, flapless laser procedure that corrects astigmatism up to 3.00 diopters and myopia up to -10.00 diopters, offering reduced dry eye risk and faster recovery for patients with active lifestyles or thin corneas.
• LASEK surgery is essentially a combination of LASIK and PRK, utilizing certain methods from each technique. This may be the right option if you’re not a suitable candidate for LASIK.
• Epi-LASIK is a cross between LASIK and LASEK and strives to solve some of the problems that may exist for some patients with these surgical techniques.

Lens Implants and Other Refractive Surgery Procedures

• EVO-ICLs.  The are phakic lenses that are implanted in your eye behind your iris and in front of you natural lens.  EVO ICLs can treat severe nearsightedness and astigmatism.
•  Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) involve removing your misshapen lens and replacing it with a toric, monofocal, multifocal, accommodating or phakic implant. This surgical technique can also work for lenticular astigmatism.
• Astigmatic Incisions help reduce astigmatism, but they have no effect on myopia or hyperopia. Incisions can be performed in conjunction with IOLs. Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI) are a form of Astigmatic incisions that may reduce astigmatism, but they have no effect on myopia or hyperopia. LRI's can be performed in conjunction with IOLs procedures, including cataract surgery and Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) or Clear Lens Exchange (CLE).

Learn More About Astigmatism Treatment

If your astigmatism is bothering you we recommend seeing an eye doctor or eye surgeon to learn about treatments for astigmatism.  If you see a  LASIK, cataract or vision correction surgeon in your area, the surgeons at Trusted LASIK Surgeons® are among the best eye surgeons you can find. Surgeons featured at Trusted LASIK Surgeons® typically offer several options beyond LASIK to ensure you get the best possible eyesight from vision correction surgery.. And most of the cataract surgeons featured in our Trusted Cataract Surgeons(TM) Directory offer the latest advancements in IOLs  and typically offer LASIK and other laser vision correction services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Astigmatism

Q: What is astigmatism?

A: Astigmatism is a common vision condition caused by an irregularly shaped cornea (the front surface of the eye) or, less commonly, an irregularly shaped lens inside the eye. Instead of being perfectly round like a basketball, the cornea might be shaped more like a football. This irregular shape causes light to focus unevenly on the retina, leading to blurred or distorted vision at all distances. TrustedLASIKSurgeons.com offers expert astigmatism correction solutions.

Q: Can LASIK eye surgery correct astigmatism?

A: Yes, LASIK is highly effective in correcting astigmatism. During the LASIK procedure, an excimer laser is used to precisely reshape the irregular curvature of the cornea, making it more symmetrical. This allows light to focus properly on the retina, resulting in significantly clearer and sharper vision. Contact a Trusted LASIK Surgeon to assess your eligibility for astigmatism correction with LASIK.

Q: Is PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy) effective for astigmatism?

A: Yes, PRK is a great option for correcting astigmatism, particularly for individuals with thinner corneas or those who prefer a flap-free procedure. Similar to LASIK, PRK uses an excimer laser to reshape the corneal surface to correct the astigmatic error. Consult a Trusted LASIK Surgeon to explore the benefits of PRK for your astigmatism.

Q: How much does astigmatism treatment typically cost?

A: The cost of astigmatism treatments like LASIK, PRK, or toric lens implants can vary based on factors such as the specific procedure, technology used, the surgeon's experience, and geographic location. For a comprehensive understanding of what influences pricing and what to expect financially, we highly recommend exploring our detailed resources. Learn more about the True Cost of LASIK and utilize our Consumer Checklist for LASIK Cost to help guide your decision-making process.

Q: Can toric lens implants fix astigmatism?

A: Yes, toric intraocular lens (IOL) implants are specifically designed to correct astigmatism, often used in conjunction with cataract surgery or Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE/CLE). These specialized lenses have different powers in different meridians, allowing for precise correction of corneal irregularities. Find a Trusted LASIK or Cataract Surgeon offering toric lenses to see if this advanced solution is suitable for your astigmatism.

Q: Are Astigmatic Incisions (LRIs) a treatment option for astigmatism?

A: Yes, Astigmatic Incisions, also known as Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRIs), are a precise surgical technique used to correct astigmatism. These small, arc-shaped incisions are made at the periphery of the cornea to relax its steepest curvature, making it more spherical. LRIs are often performed in conjunction with cataract surgery or as a standalone procedure. Consult a Trusted LASIK or Cataract Surgeon to discuss if LRIs are appropriate for your astigmatism correction.

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Ready for Sharper Vision? Explore Your Astigmatism Correction Options!

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Take the first step towards a life free from distorted vision. Our directories feature rigorously vetted surgeons specializing in advanced astigmatism correction.

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Important Disclaimer: Confirming Procedure Offerings & Technologies

While nearly all LASIK surgeons in the Trusted LASIK Surgeons® Directory perform various laser vision correction procedures, and most offer other refractive surgery procedures, not all surgeons provide every option. Similarly, for surgeons that offer cataract surgery, RLE/CLE, and other lens implants, some may specialize in advanced technologies like EVO ICLs and Light Adjustable Lenses (LALs), while others may not. We strongly encourage you to contact the individual surgeon you find in this directory directly via their profile page or practice to confirm the specific procedures, technologies, and services they offer to ensure it aligns with your vision correction needs.

We invite you to review our qualification process, each surgeon's profile, and select your LASIK, refractive, cataract and vision correction surgeon with confidence.

To learn more about screening process and standards we use to qualify surgeons please visit:

How Are Lasik and Cataract Surgeons Qualified at Trusted LASIK Surgeons®?