FACT or MYTH: LASIK CAN CORRECT ASTIGMATISM
Dr. Jeffery Machat is an ophthalmologist that is subspecialized in LASIK Refractive Surgery. He was one of the original LASIK pioneers, and started performing laser vision correction on February 4th, 1991 in Toronto, Canada where he was born. He trained in LASIK in Bogota Columbia, five years before LASIK was... more
FACT. LASIK can correct mild, moderate, severe and even extreme degrees of astigmatism. I have been performing LASIK and other laser vision correction techniques for over three decades, and while the first generation of excimer lasers were unable to correct astigmatism, modern lasers can do so easily. In fact, 50% of patients that have LASIK have astigmatism and it has become a routine part of achieving the very best LASIK visual results.
Astigmatism is a 'football shape' to the front part of the eye, known as the cornea. Excimer lasers today are computer controlled, and extremely accurate. They have eye tracking technology that automatically aligns your laser treatment on your pupil, so that even if you move during the treatment, the laser will follow your eye. In fact, the eye tracking technology on the laser I utilize, checks the eye position more than 1000 times per second, truly phenomenal. It is based on missile guidance systems used in military technology. The eye tracker will also look at your iris pattern and line up the astigmatism axis, lining up 'the laces on the football' for the most accurate correction of your astigmatism.
LASIK today has reached a new level of safety, accuracy and sophistication. LASIK can treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Patients with astigmatism should feel very confident in achieving a wonderful visual result with LASIK.
