Are you tired of the daily struggle with blurry vision caused by astigmatism? While glasses and contact lenses can provide relief, the frustration of squinting to see clearly, dealing with headaches, and constantly adjusting or cleaning your eyewear can still be overwhelming. Now imagine if you could simply say “goodbye” to all that—in just 10 minutes or less, LASIK can correct astigmatism without the need for visual aids. Read on to learn all about astigmatism and LASIK, how we correct it at OVO, and what to expect during your LASIK surgery with us.

What Is Astigmatism? Types

When your cornea, the clear front surface of your eye, has an irregular shape, it causes light to focus incorrectly on multiple points of the retina, resulting in blurred or distorted vision. Other astigmatism symptoms may include having a hard time seeing at night, or finding that you get a lot of eye strain and headaches. Patients with astigmatism have a cornea that is steeper in one direction and flatter in the other. We can treat low astigmatism, very high astigmatism, and even irregular astigmatism.

Visualizing Astigmatism

A great way to visualize astigmatism is to compare it to cutting into a basketball vs. a football.

• With a basketball that’s been cut in half, the curvature in any direction is uniform. This is what a regular eye without astigmatism looks like.
• In contrast, a football cut lengthwise has one short steep axis and one long flat axis. This uneven curvature illustrates what occurs in a cornea with astigmatism.

There’s two main types of astigmatism; corneal which is caused by the irregular shape of the cornea, and lenticular which is caused by changes to your eye’s lens.

How Can LASIK Correct Astigmatism? A 4-Step Procedure Walkthrough

Yes, LASIK can correct astigmatism by reshaping the cornea to create a more uniform curvature. This allows light to focus correctly on the retina and reduces visual distortions.

1. Complementary LASIK Candidacy Exam (90 mins): At OVO LASIK + Lens, we utilize state-of-the-art diagnostic technology that surpasses other LASIK providers, to accurately assess your candidacy for LASIK and astigmatism treatment. This includes:

Tomography Analysis: This advanced technique employs a specialized device to measure the unique variations and irregularities of your cornea. It creates a detailed 3D map of your eye using 80,000 data points, identifying and addressing refractive errors as well as higher-order aberrations.

Topography-Guided Phorcides LASIK: We leverage the insights gained from the 3D map of your eye to customize your treatment specifically for your visual system. Dr. Lobanoff is known across the world for creating the Phorcides software platform. Phorcides analyzes the corneal topography map using up to 80,000 data points, giving us the ability to personalize the procedure to your unique eye characteristics. Multiple studies have shown that Phorcides Contoura LASIK results in a more accurate and personalized outcome that often surpasses those achieved with traditional LASIK methods.

2. Preoperative Instructions (60 mins): As you settle into your private LASIK suite, you’ll receive a dose of Valium to help you relax, and you’ll be given detailed instructions on what to expect.

3. Corneal Reshaping (10 mins): A thin flap is created in your cornea using a femtosecond laser or a microkeratome. Then our excimer laser reshapes the cornea to correct its irregular curvature by:

• Removing precise amounts of corneal tissue based on the measurements obtained during preoperative evaluations.
• For corneal astigmatism, the laser flattens the steeper curve of the cornea, making it more spherical and allowing light to focus correctly on the retina.
• After reshaping, the flap is repositioned without stitches, allowing for natural healing.

4. Immediate Recovery (2-6 hours): You’ll experience significant vision improvement within 24-hours after surgery, and be able to return to normal activities. You may experience some temporary burning or itching, which is common post-surgery and they’ll dissipate quickly.

At OVO LASIK + Lens, we ensure that every patient feels comfortable and informed throughout their vision journey at our state-of-the-art facility. Our world-class surgeons are dedicated to personalized care and will guide you through each step of your LASIK procedure. Watch Ryan’s unforgettable experience to see how we make LASIK a seamless process from start to finish.

You Deserve World-Class Vision!

Don’t let astigmatism hold you back any longer. Schedule your free LASIK exam at OVO Eye today and discover how LASIK can correct your astigmatism. In just 10-minutes or less, experience the world-class vision you deserve, and free yourself from the limitations of corrective eyewear. It’s time to take the first step towards a clearer, brighter future – your journey to exceptional vision begins at OVO – 877-686-3937.