Can LASIK Eye Surgery Cure Astigmatism?

If you’ve struggled with astigmatism, someone has probably recommended LASIK eye surgery to you. LASIK has long been touted to be the quick-fix cure-all for a variety of refractive errors. This is definitely one way to fix your vision if you suffer from this condition, but just how effective is it? And is it safe?

In this article, we’ll explore the mechanics behind the surgery, the risks involved, and possible solutions that will help you fix astigmatism naturally. But first, let’s quickly explain the condition.

Astigmatism Explained

Nearly a third of Americans have astigmatism, yet many don’t really understand what it is or how it affects their vision. ​​In a normally shaped eye, the cornea (your eye’s clear, outer layer) curves evenly in both directions, like the stitching on a baseball. However, if you have astigmatism, your eyes are shaped differently – more like a football than a baseball. Unfortunately, this negatively impacts your vision.

To understand just how astigmatism impacts our vision, we must first understand how our eyes work in general. Put simply, when a light ray enters your eye and hits your cornea, the eye focuses on a single point. If you suffer from astigmatism, the irregular shape of the cornea will cause blurriness. This is because for the astigmatic eye, the light rays will not enter at one point but at multiple points, distorting vision.

If you’ve been diagnosed with astigmatism, your doctor will likely recommend corrective lenses or yes, even LASIK to fix your vision. Whether this is the best option for you, though, is up to you to decide.

Can Astigmatism Be Cured?

The medical world will tell you that yes, LASIK surgery can cure astigmatism. This procedure exposes your eyes to lasers, or narrow beams of light. These lasers reshape the tissue of your cornea in order to change the way it curves, thus “curing” astigmatism.

The lasers reshape your cornea by creating a flap in the tissue above it so that your doctor can reach your cornea. Depending on who your surgeon is or the specific needs of your eyes, this will be done with one of two lasers.

The first option is the microkeratome, which has an oscillating blade that creates the necessary flap in your cornea. The other option is known as the femtosecond laser, which instead hits your cornea with ultrashort pulses that also create the flap. The doctor then lifts the flap in order to expose the corneal tissue underneath it, where the reshaping happens. After the procedure is complete, the doctor repositions the flap onto the eye.

Usually, laser surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, which means that you do not have to stay overnight in the hospital. The procedure can even be done in a specialist eye clinic and only takes 20 to 30 minutes. This is partially what makes it such an attractive option for many patients.

It sounds simple enough, right? You’re in and out in less than an hour, and you get perfect vision for the rest of your life. What’s not to like about that?

Well, it’s not that easy. While LASIK is usually the preferred treatment for astigmatism, as it causes little pain and produces quick results, there are some serious downfalls.

Risks of LASIK Eye Surgery

As with any type of surgery, there are risks involved with LASIK, including mishaps that may ultimately lead to complete loss of vision. The most common risks involved with LASIK include the following:

• Dry eyes
• Fluctuating levels of visual clarity
• Over and under correction
• Double vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Flap wrinkles
• An infection of the cornea
• Worsening of vision if too much tissue is removed from the cornea
• The corneal surface may begin to grow into the outside layers of the cornea

With all of these risks, it’s important to do your research before you turn to this invasive surgery. However, it’s also important to note that, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, LASIK is significantly less risky than it used to be.

There are also some limitations to LASIK surgery. For example, if your cornea isn’t thick enough, the surgery can’t happen. This is because side effects, complications, and risks can be too high to perform the surgery on thinner tissue.

When Can You Use Laser Surgery to Treat or Cure Astigmatism?

While LASIK may seem like the cure-all for anyone experiencing vision issues, in reality, that’s not the case. In fact, there are large segments of the population who absolutely should not get LASIK surgery, even if they’ve experienced poor vision throughout their life.

The FDA has approved LASIK surgery for anyone over 18 years of age. However, most providers recommend that patients wait until their mid-twenties. This is because a young person’s vision may still be changing and the treatment may cause more vision problems.

LASIK may also not be suitable for those who:

• Suffer from diabetes
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have eye conditions that affect the body’s immune system
• Have conditions that lead to fluctuating vision

With so many people getting LASIK, it’s natural to assume that it’s the safest, best option. But with all of these risks and limiting factors, you may be wondering how to fix astigmatism permanently through natural means.

How to Treat Astigmatism Naturally

The medical field and history tell us that it takes medication or eye surgery like LASIK to treat or restore vision loss. However, twenty-first-century research tells us that’s not true. Instead of taking the risk with LASIK procedures, many natural methods can help improve astigmatism.

Eye Exercises for Astigmatism

While eye exercises may not physically reshape your cornea, they can strengthen your eye muscles and help reduce strain – especially for younger people with refractive errors. A recent literature review conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of eye yoga found that those who engaged in certain eye exercises regularly showed significant improvements in visual acuity. This was especially true for people under the age of 20 who suffered from refractive errors like astigmatism.

If you’d like to add eye yoga to your routine, here are some easy exercises to start with:

1. Palming: Start by rubbing your hands together vigorously to create some heat. Then, place your warmed palms over your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Remove your hands when they start to cool.
2. Blinking: Start by sitting up straight. Then, blink your eyes very quickly for 10 to 15 seconds. After you’ve stopped, pause to let your eyes soften and relax.
3. Figure 8: Start in a seated position. Raise your hand in front of you at eye level, extend your thumb and focus on it. Then, start to move your arm (keeping it straight) in a figure-eight shape. Keep tracing for 30 seconds, then switch directions.

These and other eye exercises for astigmatism should both promote relaxation and strengthen your vision – it’s a win-win!

Vitamins for Astigmatism

Unfortunately, research doesn’t yet prove that consuming certain vitamins will cure astigmatism. However, by eating a variety of eye-healthy nutrients, you can strengthen your vision in such a way that you won’t notice your astigmatic symptoms as much.

One vitamin to focus on is vitamin D. In fact, some early research suggests that vitamin D can help fend off a disease called keratoconus. Keratoconus both thins the cornea and causes it to take on a cone-like shape, causing refractive errors similar to astigmatism. Vitamin D strengthens the cornea, which may also help delay the progression of astigmatism.

Vitamin C may also be helpful in the fight against this condition. One unfortunate side effect of cataract surgery is that some patients develop astigmatism. A recent study found that patients who incorporated more vitamin C in their diets experienced fewer instances of post-operative astigmatism. While it’s not yet clear whether vitamin C can help prevent naturally occurring astigmatism in the first place, incorporating more of this nutrient into your diet certainly can’t hurt!

If you are looking for an easy way to start incorporating eye-healthy nutrients into your daily routine, the Ocu-Plus Formula offers an excellent place to start. You can avoid surgery and even rid your dependency on glasses. Plus, you’ll avoid that expensive medical bill!

Getting Rid of Astigmatism

Of course, if you suffer from this refractive error, it’s important to consider how to cure astigmatism permanently. The fact is, LASIK surgery does help treat and cure astigmatism. However, certain limitations may prevent you from getting the treatment. It’s also important to consider the risks. Trying one of our natural astigmatism treatments might be enough to alleviate your most acute symptoms.

So, if you have astigmatism, do a bit of research and discuss your treatment options with your optometrist before jumping on the laser surgery bandwagon. Make sure you are getting the proper nutrients to strengthen your vision naturally and add some eye exercises into your routine, and you just might be able to avoid the LASIK eye surgery discussion altogether.