Every eyeglass must have heard about laser vision correction. Modern, maximally precise technologies mean that more and more people are choosing this procedure, especially since it does not even require staying in a hospital. Can LASIK eye surgery fix astigmatism?
What is astigmatism?
It all starts with light particles, i.e. photons, which bounce off the things that surround us and reach the cornea, and then penetrate the eye through the pupil. There, in the lens, the light refracts and is absorbed by the retina, which creates an inverted image, then turns it into a nerve impulse, transmitted with the help of the optic nerve to the brain, which finally determines what and how we see.
In a healthy eye, the particles of light reaching the retina are focused at one point – this creates the correct image. However, if we are dealing with astigmatism, then the rays of light fall on several points simultaneously, which causes image distortion. What it comes from? The construction of the eye is of great importance here, which normally resembles a round ball. Meanwhile, in people with astigmatism, the cornea is not perfectly round, but has a slightly more elliptical shape.
Glasses or lenses
Correction of astigmatism usually involves minimizing its symptoms – i.e. simply matching the right glasses with cylindrical lenses or toric contact lenses. Thanks to the so-called cylinders can correct the angle at which light particles pass through the cornea so that they focus correctly at one point on the retina. A toric lens shaped in the right way performs the same task.
LASIK treatment
In short, the LASIK vision correction procedure involves modeling the cornea using a laser beam. In this way we correct the curvature, which contributes to the dispersion of light particles and incorrect vision. From the patient’s perspective, the operation itself is not complicated: it does not require anesthesia or a long stay in the hospital. However, before we proceed to the procedure, it is necessary to consult a specialist who, based on several tests, will decide whether to qualify us for the procedure.
What does laser eye surgery look like?
As we have already mentioned, LASIK is a procedure that does not require administration of anesthesia – so it is performed only under local anesthesia in the form of eye drops. When the anesthesia begins to work, you can proceed to the correct procedure. At first, a thin corneal flap is cut off (or only deflects, depending on the technology chosen). Then we model the cornea using a laser – at this time, minimal patient involvement is also necessary, because the eye should follow the beam of rays moving along it.
What range of astigmatism can be laser-corrected?
As part of laser vision correction, it is possible to cure astigmatism reaching about 6 diopters. If the patient is also struggling with myopia or hyperopia, then this procedure allows the correction of both defects (e.g. astigmatism and myopia) simultaneously.