LASIK and Astigmatism
Chicago, Illinois
Astigmatism is a common refractive disorder caused by the shape of the eye itself. For ideal vision, your cornea should be spherical, resembling the shape of a baseball. However, people with astigmatism have a cornea that is oblong, shaped more like a football.
Because of this abnormal shape, the cornea of an eye with astigmatism has two curves – one steep, and one flat – causing any light that enters the eye to converge at multiple points instead of at a single location. Since your eye is constantly transmitting conflicting signals to your brain, the end result is blurred and distorted vision.
Astigmatism is usually inherited, but it can also be caused by ocular disease or an eye injury. This particular refractive disorder can exist alone, but is also commonly experienced in combination with myopia or hyperopia. People with astigmatism have blurry vision at a distance as well as up close. You might feel tired after reading for awhile, finding that letters and words appear slightly slanted.
Treating Astigmatism With LASIK
Although the recent development of toric lenses has allowed astigmatism patients to correct their vision through contact lenses, many people find this treatment method either too uncomfortable or too expensive over the course of their entire life.
LASIK surgery is a valuable option for astigmatism patients who want to be free of the burden of contact lenses and eyewear. In order to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for LASIK, Dr. Golden will need to perform a thorough evaluation of your eyes and vision. The specific type of astigmatism you have and the severity of the disorder will be factors in helping Dr. Golden decide if LASIK surgery would be the ideal treatment method for you.
At Doctors For Visual Freedom, our Chicago ophthalmologists use advanced technology and diagnostic equipment allowing us to create a personalized LASIK treatment plan for your eyes, identifying the exact degree of correction you need for your astigmatism. In most cases, astigmatism is not the only condition that needs to be treated.
Other Ways of Treating Astigmatism
Although most people are good candidates for LASIK eye surgery, sometimes another type of Laser Vision Correction is a better option for astigmatism patients. Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) can also be used to effectively treat astigmatism.
After a thorough examination, Dr. Golden will discuss your options with you in detail and recommend the procedure he thinks is best for you.
If you live in Chicago or Arlington Heights, Illinois and would like more information about treating astigmatism with LASIK, please contact our Chicago LASIK eye surgeons and ophthalmology specialists today to schedule your free LASIK screening evaluation.
Two Locations:
Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
875 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1550
Chicago, IL 60611 | Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
2010 S Arlington Heights Rd, Suite 121
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
