You’ve probably heard friends rave about LASIK: “I woke up and could see perfectly!” But if you have astigmatism, you might wonder, Does LASIK work for me too?
LASIK is a type of refractive eye surgery that reshapes the cornea to correct common vision problems, including astigmatism, myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness).
The short answer is yes, LASIK can correct most types of astigmatism. It’s commonly used to improve vision problems affected by refractive errors. However, but (and this part matters), your eligibility depends on your eye health, corneal shape and thickness, prescription stability and overall health.
First Things First: What is Astigmatism (and Other Refractive Errors)?
Astigmatism happens when the cornea (the clear front part of the eye) or the lens inside the eye isn’t perfectly round. This irregular shape causes light entering the eye to focus unevenly. Instead of converging at a single sharp point on the retina, the light scatters, resulting in blurred or distorted vision at all distances.
The most common type is corneal astigmatism, caused by irregularities in the cornea’s shape. But irregularities in the lens inside the eye can also contribute to astigmatism.
Think of it like projecting a movie onto a wrinkled screen: no matter how bright or high-quality the projector is, the image will appear distorted. The cornea and lens work together to focus light, and irregularities in either can lead to blurred or distorted vision.
How LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Fixes Astigmatism
LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) is a type of laser eye surgery that reshapes the cornea, allowing light to enter the eye evenly and focus precisely on the retina. This helps correct the cornea’s uneven curvature, which causes blurred or distorted vision in astigmatism.
Here’s how the procedure works:
- Creating a corneal flap: A thin flap is carefully made on the surface of the cornea, typically using a femtosecond laser in modern bladeless LASIK. Allowing the surgeon to access the inner corneal layer for reshaping.
- Reshaping the cornea: An excimer laser delivers ultra-precise pulses of light to remove microscopic amounts of corneal tissue, smoothing the irregular curves that cause astigmatism and creating a more uniform, rounded cornea for accurate focus.
- Repositioning the flap: The corneal flap is gently repositioned in its original position, where it naturally adheres without the need for stitches. Healing begins almost immediately, and most patients notice an improvement in vision within one to two days.
By reshaping the cornea, LASIK and other laser eye surgeries aim to correct how light focuses on the retina, improving visual acuity. Today, LASIK is one of the most common and effective forms of laser vision correction worldwide.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
LASIK isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Eye specialists evaluate several essential factors to determine eligibility:
- Stable prescription: Your eye prescription should be stable, with no significant changes in the past 12 months. This helps ensure long-lasting and accurate results.
- Healthy corneas: The cornea must have enough thickness for safe reshaping. Thin or weakened corneas may disqualify a patient from undergoing surgery to avoid complications.
- Degree of astigmatism: Mild to moderate astigmatism is usually treatable with LASIK. However, very high astigmatism, myopia, or thin corneas may require alternative procedures, such as CLEAR Pro, PRK, or ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens).
- General eye health: Conditions such as uncontrolled dry eyes, keratoconus, or severe cataracts can affect healing and visual outcomes, making LASIK unsuitable in some cases.
- Age: LASIK is generally recommended for adults 18 and above, once vision has stabilised. Some exceptions may apply depending on individual eye health and lifestyle needs.
Your eye doctor or surgeon will thoroughly assess your eyes to diagnose astigmatism and determine whether LASIK is right for you. Be sure to inform them of any health conditions that could affect your eligibility and treatment outcomes.
If you wear contact lenses, you may be advised to stop wearing them before your evaluation. This allows your cornea to return to its natural shape, ensuring accurate measurements.
What Results Can You Expect?
Most patients with mild to moderate astigmatism achieve 20/20 or near 20/20 vision after LASIK. Results are generally long-lasting and stable, although individual outcomes can vary depending on the eye conditions and the healing response.
- Immediate clarity: Many notice improved vision within 24–48 hours, with clearer distance vision and sharper focus.
- Stable results: Vision typically stabilises within 3–6 months as the eyes fully heal.
- Reduced dependence on glasses or contacts: Many patients experience significant freedom from corrective lenses, although some, especially as they age, may still require glasses or contacts for tasks such as detailed work, reading fine print, or nighttime driving.
Improved vision after LASIK can significantly enhance overall quality of life, from seeing the world more clearly upon waking to enjoying daily activities like driving, working, or watching movies without relying on glasses or contact lenses.
Risks and Limitations to Know
Like all surgeries, LASIK comes with some potential considerations:
- Dry eyes are common in the first few months after surgery, but usually improve with proper treatment and care.
- Night glare or halos may occur, especially in those with higher astigmatism, who may notice glare, halos, or double vision in dim lighting or around bright lights due to how the eyes process incoming light after surgery.
- Vision changes, including blurred vision or irregular astigmatism, can occur as potential complications, sometimes reducing visual clarity or necessitating further correction.
- Eye injury or other eye problems are rare but possible. Complications such as flap issues or pre-existing eye conditions can affect healing and visual outcomes.
- Over- or under-correction is rare with modern LASIK technology, but still possible.
- Not permanent for everyone: Vision can naturally change with age (e.g., presbyopia in your 40s), so LASIK may not eliminate the need for reading glasses or other vision aids later in life.
If LASIK Isn’t Right
If you’re not a candidate for LASIK, don’t worry. There are other safe and effective alternatives:
- PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy): A laser procedure that achieves similar results to LASIK but does not require creating a corneal flap.
- CLEAR Pro (Corneal Lenticule Extraction for Advanced Refractive): A minimally invasive technique that reshapes the cornea through a small incision, suitable for correcting myopia and astigmatism.
- ICL (Implantable Contact Lens): Involves placing a lens inside the eye to correct high prescriptions.
- Toric IOLs during cataract surgery can correct astigmatism while replacing the eye’s natural lens.
These alternatives can effectively correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. If surgery isn’t suitable, contact lenses remain a safe and convenient non-surgical option for managing refractive errors.
Conclusion
So, can LASIK correct astigmatism? Yes, for most people with mild to moderate astigmatism.
However, not everyone is a candidate, and the only way to know for sure is through a comprehensive eye exam.
If you’ve been living with blurry or distorted vision and are wondering whether LASIK could help, scheduling an eye exam today could be your first step towards waking up to a clearer, sharper world.
