Staff is very professional, office clean and well kept. Dr. Griffiths is very personable and does a great job explaining my condition.
Julie Carbaugh
Can You Get LASIK With Astigmatism?
LASIK as a Treatment for Astigmatism
LASIK is a well-established option for correcting regular astigmatism. Understanding the range it can treat and what makes someone a strong candidate helps set realistic expectations before your consultation.
LASIK can typically treat mild to moderate astigmatism, generally up to around 6 diopters (a measurement of refractive error). The safe and effective limit for any individual depends on factors like corneal thickness and overall eye health, which our LASIK Surgeon will assess during your evaluation.
Lower levels of astigmatism tend to respond very well to LASIK. Higher levels may still be treatable, but require a closer look at whether LASIK or an alternative procedure is the better path for your specific eyes.
If you have regular astigmatism, you are likely an excellent candidate for LASIK. The predictable nature of this corneal shape allows our LASIK Surgeon to use advanced laser technology to reshape your cornea with a high degree of precision.
We use wavefront-guided systems that measure how light travels through your entire eye, as well as topography-guided platforms that map your corneal surface in fine detail. Both approaches customize the treatment to your unique anatomy for the most accurate correction possible.
Some patients with astigmatism are not well suited to standard LASIK. In these cases, we will discuss equally effective alternatives during your consultation.
- Irregular astigmatism from keratoconus or corneal scarring
- Very high degrees of astigmatism beyond safe LASIK limits
- Corneas that are too thin to safely undergo tissue removal
- Progressive eye conditions that cause ongoing changes to vision
- Prior eye surgery that has altered your corneal structure
Evaluating Your LASIK Candidacy
A thorough pre-LASIK evaluation is the most important step in the process. It gives our team the information needed to recommend the safest and most effective treatment for your vision.
Your consultation goes well beyond a standard eye exam. We perform a series of specialized tests that assess both the structure of your eyes and the exact nature of your prescription. This visit typically takes about 90 minutes and gives our LASIK Surgeon everything needed to make a confident recommendation.
Corneal topography creates a detailed three-dimensional map of your corneal surface, showing the precise location and degree of any irregular curvature. This technology measures thousands of points across your cornea, revealing patterns that guide your treatment plan.
- Pachymetry measures corneal thickness at multiple points to confirm there is enough tissue for safe reshaping
- Topography maps reveal the exact pattern and severity of your astigmatism
- These measurements are used to program the laser for your custom treatment
Your glasses or contact lens prescription needs to be stable for at least one to two years before LASIK. A prescription that is still changing suggests your eyes have not finished their natural development, which can make outcomes less predictable.
Most patients need to be at least 18 years old, though waiting until the early to mid-twenties is often recommended since prescriptions tend to stabilize more fully by that age. If your prescription has shifted recently, we may recommend waiting a bit longer before scheduling surgery.
Your overall health and eye health both play a role in whether LASIK is appropriate. Certain conditions may need to be treated or stabilized before surgery can be safely performed.
- Significant dry eye may require treatment before LASIK to reduce post-surgical discomfort and support healing
- Active eye infections must fully resolve before any procedure
- Pregnancy and nursing can temporarily alter your prescription, so surgery is typically postponed until vision stabilizes
- Conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes or autoimmune disorders may affect healing and are carefully reviewed
How LASIK Corrects Astigmatism
LASIK works by precisely reshaping the cornea so that light focuses correctly on the retina. Understanding the steps involved can help you feel more confident going into the procedure.
An excimer laser removes microscopic amounts of corneal tissue in a customized pattern. For astigmatism, the laser reduces tissue more in the steeper areas of the cornea, creating a more evenly curved surface.
Once the cornea is reshaped, light entering the eye can converge properly on the retina, eliminating the distortion and blur that astigmatism causes. The result is clearer vision across a range of distances.
Modern LASIK uses either wavefront-guided or topography-guided technology to create a treatment that is unique to your eyes. These systems go beyond simply matching your glasses prescription and can correct subtle irregularities that standard correction cannot address.
- Wavefront technology captures how light travels through the entire optical system of your eye
- Topography-guided LASIK uses your corneal map to plan each precise step of the treatment
- Custom treatments can sometimes produce sharper vision than glasses or contacts previously provided
Your eyes are numbed with drops before the procedure begins, so you should not feel pain. A gentle device holds your eyelids open, and a femtosecond laser creates a thin flap in the surface of your cornea, which is carefully folded back to expose the tissue beneath.
The excimer laser then reshapes the cornea according to your custom plan, which takes less than a minute per eye. The flap is repositioned and adheres naturally without stitches. The full procedure, including preparation, typically takes about 15 minutes for both eyes.
Recovery and Results After LASIK
Most patients are pleasantly surprised by how quickly their vision improves after LASIK. Following your post-operative instructions closely gives you the best chance of smooth healing and excellent results.
In the hours after surgery, your vision may be blurry or hazy and your eyes may feel gritty or sensitive. These sensations are a normal part of the early healing process and typically improve within the first day.
- Use all prescribed eye drops as directed to prevent infection and control inflammation
- Wear the protective eye shields provided while sleeping for the first few nights
- Do not rub your eyes, which could disturb the healing corneal flap
- Rest with your eyes closed for several hours after returning home
Most patients notice meaningfully improved vision within the first day after surgery. Many return to work and routine activities within one to two days, though some blurriness and fluctuation are normal in the early weeks.
Full visual stabilization generally takes three to six months, but most patients see well enough for daily tasks much sooner. We monitor your progress at scheduled follow-up visits throughout this period to ensure everything is healing as expected.
Protecting your eyes during the healing period reduces the risk of complications and helps ensure the best possible outcome.
- Avoid swimming, hot tubs, and water sports for at least two weeks
- Skip eye makeup for approximately one week after surgery
- Refrain from contact sports for at least one month
- Avoid dusty or smoky environments during the early healing phase
- Limit screen time if it causes discomfort in the first few days
Dry eyes, light sensitivity, glare, and halos around lights at night are among the most common temporary side effects after LASIK. These typically improve as your eyes heal over the weeks and months following surgery.
Less common complications include infection, inflammation, or flap-related issues. Undercorrection or overcorrection can also occur, and an enhancement procedure may be recommended once your vision has fully stabilized. Serious complications are uncommon when candidates are carefully screened and surgery is performed with current technology.
Most post-LASIK symptoms are a normal part of healing. However, certain signs should prompt you to contact our office right away rather than waiting for a scheduled visit.
- Sudden or significant loss of vision
- Severe eye pain that does not ease over time
- Increasing redness, discharge, or signs of infection
- A persistent foreign body sensation that does not resolve
- New flashes of light or a sudden increase in floaters
Alternative Procedures for Astigmatism
LASIK is not the only surgical option for correcting astigmatism. If your evaluation shows that LASIK is not the right fit, there are well-proven alternatives that may produce equally strong results for your vision.
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is a surface-based laser procedure that treats the same range of astigmatism as LASIK without creating a corneal flap. Instead of lifting a flap, the surface layer of cells is gently removed before the laser reshapes the cornea beneath.
Recovery with PRK takes longer than LASIK because the surface layer needs time to regenerate, but the final visual outcomes are comparable. Our LASIK Surgeon may recommend PRK if your corneas are thinner than ideal for LASIK or if you have certain corneal characteristics that make a flap-free approach safer.
EpiLASIK (also called EpiLase) is a variation of surface ablation that is similar to PRK. It preserves the thin outermost layer of the cornea rather than removing it entirely, which some patients find leads to a more comfortable recovery.
Like PRK, this approach removes the need for a corneal flap and may be recommended for patients who are not ideal LASIK candidates due to corneal thickness or surface irregularities.
For patients whose astigmatism exceeds what laser surgery can safely correct, implantable collamer lenses (ICLs) offer a surgical alternative. These thin lenses are placed inside the eye between the iris (the colored part of your eye) and your natural lens.
- Toric ICLs are specifically designed to address astigmatism
- ICLs can correct higher degrees of astigmatism than laser procedures allow
- The procedure is reversible if future adjustments are needed
- Your natural lens remains intact
Refractive lens exchange involves replacing your natural eye lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) that corrects your astigmatism. Toric IOLs are designed specifically for this purpose and provide strong astigmatism correction as part of the lens replacement.
This approach may be recommended if you have factors that make corneal procedures unsuitable, or if you are at an age when cataract development is anticipated in the coming years. Our team will help determine whether this option aligns with your vision goals and overall eye health.
Surgery is not appropriate for everyone, and in certain situations continuing with glasses or contact lenses is the safest path forward.
- Corneas too thin or irregular for any laser or surgical procedure
- Prescriptions that are still changing year over year
- Progressive corneal conditions that are not yet stable
- Medical conditions that significantly affect healing or increase surgical risk
- Personal preference to avoid any surgical intervention
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers address specific questions patients often have after learning about LASIK and astigmatism, beyond what is covered in detail above.
The corneal reshaping achieved during LASIK is permanent and does not reverse on its own. However, your eyes can still undergo gradual natural changes related to aging over the years, which occasionally leads to small shifts in prescription. If your vision changes meaningfully later in life, an enhancement procedure may be an option depending on your corneal thickness at that time.
LASIK for astigmatism is not inherently more complex or higher risk than LASIK for nearsightedness or farsightedness alone. The same custom laser technology that corrects those conditions handles astigmatism as part of the same treatment step. The overall procedure time and general experience are essentially the same regardless of whether astigmatism is part of your prescription.
Yes, and this is actually very common. Many LASIK patients have a combination of astigmatism with either myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). The custom treatment plan addresses all components of your refractive error at once during a single procedure, so no separate or additional surgery is needed for the astigmatism portion of your correction.
Most patients notice noticeably clearer vision within the first day after surgery, though some blurriness is expected initially as the eye begins to heal. Vision is usually functional enough for everyday tasks by the next morning. The sharpest and most stable results, including full correction of your astigmatism, typically develop over the first few weeks to months as healing progresses.
Astigmatism above approximately 6 diopters may exceed what LASIK can safely and effectively correct, though individual anatomy plays a role in where that limit falls. If your astigmatism is higher than LASIK can address, our LASIK Surgeon will walk you through the alternatives, such as toric implantable collamer lenses or lens replacement options, that may be well suited to your prescription and goals.
No referral is needed. You can contact our office directly to schedule your comprehensive pre-LASIK consultation. It is helpful to bring your current glasses and contact lens prescription, and to stop wearing soft contact lenses for at least two weeks before your evaluation, since contacts can temporarily alter the shape of your cornea and affect measurement accuracy.
Schedule Your LASIK Consultation at NewView Eye Center
If you have astigmatism and are ready to explore your options for clearer vision, we are here to help. Our LASIK Surgeon brings extensive experience in refractive care to patients throughout Northern Virginia, using advanced diagnostic and laser technology to find the treatment plan that fits your eyes and your lifestyle. We invite you to schedule a comprehensive LASIK evaluation so we can answer your questions and determine whether LASIK or another vision correction option is the right choice for you.
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