LASIK is a common method of Laser Eye Surgery for the Laser Vision Correction of astigmatism. Astigmatism is a vision problem that results most often from an unequal curvature of the Cornea. The curvature of a normal Cornea is uniform and typically has the shape of a basketball-that is, it is round or spherical. Patients who have astigmatism have a Cornea that is typically shaped like a football-that it, it has two different curvatures. This results in light being focused on the Retina, or the back of the eye, in two different directions. When light focuses in this manner it can cause blurring or distorted vision to occur. Depending on the location and orientation of the different curvatures in the Cornea, it can result in differing types of blurring and distortion.
During a LASIK consultation, the LASIK Surgeon and their staff will carefully measure the shape and thickness of your Cornea as well as your optical prescription. In addition they may also use an instrument called an aberrometer to determine if you have even the slightest amount of astigmatism that may not be measurable with the usual testing methods. If you have astigmatism, the LASIK Surgeon will program the laser so that it delivers a treatment pattern that corrects the astigmatism by evening out the different curvatures. Treatment of astigmatism with Laser Eye Surgery procedures such as LASIK, PRK or advanced surface ablation techniques such as Epi-LASIK is routine, safe and predictable for the vast majority of astigmatism types and correction ranges.
