Almost every person has astigmatism. Astigmatism means that the eye is not perfectly symmetrical — no one’s eye is exactly, perfectly shaped. So, instead of the cornea (the front of the eye) being shaped like a basketball, it is shaped a little like the side of a football.
In other words, there is more curvature to the front of the eye in one direction than in the opposite direction. This curvature determines the focus of the light. Astigmatism focuses light more on one axis (direction) than in the other. There is no point where the light focuses accurately.
People with astigmatism have blurry vision when looking both near and far. Astigmatism is typically not the only problem with vision. Astigmatism usually accompanies nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Can You Correct Astigmatism?
With laser vision correction, we certainly correct astigmatism, along with any associated nearsightedness or farsightedness. This allows light rays to focus clearly in all directions, resulting in sharper vision.
Astigmatism is often corrected with glasses, and if you use toric lenses, with contact lenses as well. But the glasses for astigmatism cause distortions and the toric contact lenses rotate on the eye, resulting in intermittently clear and then blurry vision. With laser eye surgery, the astigmatism correction is typically better than with glasses or contact lenses and it does not get distorted or intermittently blurry.
Laser Eye Surgery in Los Angeles
Don’t let astigmatism interfere with your vision and hold you back in your life. Give us a call as your first step to better, sharper vision through laser eye surgery.