Your eyes are complex mechanisms working constantly to provide you with a clear picture of the world. Any malfunctions or deformations in the eye can seriously impact your ability to navigate through the world.
One very common condition that can affect vision is astigmatism. If you suffer from blurry vision, LASIK eye surgery for astigmatism might help you see clearly again. Keep reading to learn more about astigmatism and how it’s treated.
What Is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a deformation in the curvature of your eye, specifically the cornea. A normal, healthy eye is evenly rounded, but an eye with astigmatism is oval- or egg-shaped.
Astigmatism can either affect the eye vertically, when the eye is taller than it is wide, or horizontally, when the eye is wider than it is tall. Astigmatism can be inherited, but it can also be caused by an eye injury, infection, or surgery. The condition is diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam.
What Are the Symptoms of Astigmatism?
The purpose of the cornea is to focus the light that comes into your eye into your retina. When a cornea is affected by astigmatism, the light isn’t focused properly and vision can become blurry.
Symptoms of astigmatism include:
- Headaches
- Eye strain or discomfort
- Blurry vision
- Squinting
Keep in mind: these symptoms are associated with many different conditions, not just astigmatism. To determine whether or not you have astigmatism, you’ll need to visit your McAllen eye doctor.
How Is Astigmatism Treated: LASIK Eye Surgery for Vision Correction
There are two options when it comes to correcting the effects of astigmatism, but there’s currently only one treatment for the condition. While eyeglasses or contacts can help you see more clearly, they won’t impact or improve the deformity in your eye.
Currently, the best eye surgery for astigmatism—the only eye surgery for astigmatism—is LASIK.
During LASIK eye surgery, your LASIK eye surgeon will use the WaveLight Refractive Suite laser to carefully cut and fold away your corneal flap, revealing the inner layers of the cornea. The WaveLight Refractive Suite is then used to precisely reshape your cornea by targeting the areas that have become overgrown or deformed. Your corneal flap is then positioned back into place. Your vision will be blurry immediately following the LASIK procedure, but you should begin to see improvements within a few months.
Get LASIK Eye Surgery for Astigmatism With the Only Corneal Transplant Surgeon in the RGV
For those of us with clear vision, it can be easy to take our eye health for granted. However, for those with blurry vision, your eye health can become a serious hindrance in everyday life.
If you’re struggling with blurry vision, eye strain, or headaches with prolonged focus, come see a reliable McAllen LASIK eye surgeon here at Gelman Vision to learn if LASIK is right for you. Our team of vision specialists can help you find the vision solution you need to see clearly again.