Astigmatism is a condition of the eyes. Instead of the spherical eyeballs, their shape tends to be elongated, more like a football. This interferes with the way light goes through the eyeball, and thus the visual information that goes to the brain. The consequence is often near, far, or mixed blurring of the vision, commonly resulting in eye strain and headaches.
While many cases of astigmatism are so mild as to be unnoticeable, and still more are easily fixed by wearing corrective lenses, not everyone is so fortunate. Depending on the specifics of your case, you may be a candidate for one of several surgeries for astigmatism. Here’s a look at what to expect from most astigmatism surgeries.
Types of Surgery
For people with mild to moderate hyperopic (farsighted), myopic (nearsighted), or mixed astigmatism, and a cornea of an appropriate thickness, surgery is often a good option. Exactly how the procedure will be performed depends upon what type of surgery you and your eye care team decide is best for you. The most common include:
- LASIK: Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis
- LASEK: Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy
- PRK: Photorefractive keratectomy
- Epi-LASIK: A form of LASEK
What to Expect
In most cases, these surgeries are outpatient procedures. Your surgeon will change the shape of your cornea using a specialized laser to adjust the way light enters the eye. Before beginning surgery, your eyes will be numbed using special drops. You may be given a drug to help you relax, especially if you are nervous about being awake for the surgery or the surgery itself.
Although the exact methods may vary, for LASIK surgery in particular, your team will get you positioned under the laser, while your eye is held open with a lid speculum. Precautions are taken to protect your eyes from losing movement. Once the surgeon makes certain preparations, the computer that operates the laser is given instructions regarding your prescription level. While you look at a certain point near your eye, the laser will reshape your cornea. You shouldn’t feel any pain, but you might notice pressure or hear a clicking noise.
LASIK surgery can take as little as ten minutes for the actual procedure, although it can take up to ten minutes per eye. Arrange for someone to drive you home beforehand. Most patients end up with perfect vision pretty quickly-- a welcome change after years of struggling to see. Other patients can require days to weeks of recovery time. In any case, take it easy for a few days, and definitely avoid strenuous exercise for at least 7 days to ensure your eyes heal well.
Surgical Risks
When deciding if surgery is the best option for you, it’s important to take potential complications into consideration. Potential problems are not uncommon, but should not last more than about 6 months. These include a tendency to notice floating lights or starbursts around your peripheral vision. Your eyes may develop a tendency to be dry. Corneal scarring is another potential concern, as is the rare but possible distortion or even complete loss of vision. As with any surgery, there is a chance of infection. Happily, experts estimate complications at less than 1% over the millions of Americans who have undergone vision surgery since its conception.
According to All About Vision, the potential for something to go wrong can increase if you have dry eyes, irregular corneas, large pupils, unstable vision, a high refractive error, or certain diseases. Additionally, pregnancy and age can also affect the outcome. Your doctor should perform a thorough examination to ensure you are a good candidate for one of these surgeries.
