Astigmatism is slightly more complex to treat than short-sightedness or long-sightedness. That’s because it requires correction in more than one plane.

In short-sightedness or long-sightedness, the surgeon is subtly reshaping what is essentially a normal-shaped, spherical cornea. But an astigmatic cornea is shaped more like a rugby ball than the normal sphere. This creates a flattened cone shape at the front of the eye.

Light enters at different angles through this cone, creating two points of focus – and therefore a blurred image. This is what causes classic astigmatism symptoms such as blurred small print, difficulty reading, and the inability to see both near and far without squinting, constant headache and fatigue.

The conical shape of the cornea means that the surgeon must take account of every distortion, in every direction. Although this is certainly more complex than standard short-sightedness or long-sightedness, virtually all astigmatism symptoms are treatable by an expert laser eye surgeon using the right technology. Indeed, high astigmatism cases are routine at the London Vision Clinic.

So if you have astigmatism, we can almost certainly help. Find out if you are suitable for laser eye treatment at the London Vision Clinic by contacting on of our Patient Care Coordinators by completing our online enquiry form.

About astigmatism

The outermost part of the eye, the cornea is a transparent layer that covers the iris, the pupil, and the lens. Rather than being a simple ‘window’, the cornea refracts or bends light and helps to focus it onto the retina. Any irregularity in the cornea’s shape therefore results in incorrect focusing of light and in blurred vision. In short, astigmatism is image distortion that results from an improperly shaped cornea.

A normal cornea is spherical, with astigmatism however, the cornea is elliptical – more like a rugby ball. The effect is that light passing through an astigmatic cornea will have two points of focus and not create a single, sharp image on the retina.

No one wants to compromise on their vision. Ideally, you would like to find the surgeon who combines the right level of professional training using the most current technology combined with a wealth of experience in the specific procedure that you are undergoing.

What astigmatism looks like…

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Isabella finds a cure for her astigmatism

Isabella, a patient, describes her search for a laser eye surgery provider, and why she chose London Vision Clinic

An eye with astigmatism

 

Patients successfully treated for astigmatism