Las Vegas Eye Institute Answers Question on Whether LASIK Can Treat Astigmatism

Las Vegas, Nevada -

Las Vegas Eye Institute (LVEI), based in Las Vegas, NV, has recently posted an article titled, “Can LASIK Treat Astigmatism?” In this article, Dr. Matthew Swanic, founder of the vision correction center, explains what astigmatism is and how LASIK can be a successful procedure for treating astigmatism of varying degrees. It also provides answers to FAQs about LASIK and astigmatism and it also presents detailed photos and a video about the use of LASIK for treatment of astigmatism.

Dr. Matthew Swanic says, “When correcting astigmatism in general, our goal is to get people to zero remaining astigmatism. In reality, due to a variety of factors, this is unlikely to occur. However, patients with under 0.5 diopters of astigmatism after LASIK routinely have vision that is better than 20/20. At Las Vegas Eye Institute, over 95% of patients have under 0.5 diopters of astigmatism after LASIK. Most of our patients that have over 0.5 diopters of astigmatism after LASIK with us, typically started with over 3 diopters of astigmatism and, in our experience, are still very happy due to the dramatic reduction in astigmatism. However, if this residual astigmatism is affecting their vision, we can perform a LASIK enhancement that will typically get them to under 0.5 diopters of astigmatism.”

They want to emphasize that their modern LASIK lasers can be used to correct astigmatism and nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia) at the same time. It should be noted that there are certain types of astigmatism that can’t be remedied by LASIK. For instance, there is irregular astigmatism, which is a kind of astigmatism that is uneven. Instead of having one curvature that is equal on the lower and upper half of the cornea, the patient has one half of the cornea with a higher level of astigmatism compared to the other half. If the asymmetry is relatively small, patients can go to a practice like LVEI where they can use the Contoura protocol on the Alcon Wavelight laser to accurately map the asymmetry and develop a custom treatment plan that will reduce the irregularity of the shape of the cornea to provide better vision.

Meanwhile, some people with irregular astigmatism have a condition known as keratoconus and they are not good candidates for LASIK. The LASIK procedure can actually cause the condition and the patient’s vision to worsen. Advanced vision correction practices like LVEI perform extensive tests for keratoconus during LASIK screenings to avoid operating on a patient with undiagnosed keratoconus.

The article also points out that LASIK, SMILE and PRK can all provide treatment for astigmatism, and once the cornea has been reshaped, the fix for astigmatism has been noted to be permanent. It should also be noted that astigmatism doesn’t tend to worsen over time. However, the rubbing of the eye can weaken the cornea and cause the worsening of the condition known as keratoconus. Thus, at LVEI, they advise patients to avoid rubbing their eyes. For those who tend to rub their eyes because of allergies, they can be prescribed over-the-counter antihistamine drops.

Started in 2013, Las Vegas Eye Institute is headed by its founder Matthew Swanic, MD, who got trained in cornea and refractive surgery with specialization in advanced LASIK and cataract surgery while he was completing his fellowship at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He has much trust in laser vision correction that he himself had photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) done on his own eyes in 2010.He is certified for the advanced Contoura Vision Alcon Wavelight EX500 platform and he can also perform bladeless LASIK using the Carl Zeiss Visumax femtosecond laser. He employs multifocal and toric lenses of different designs to provide a tailor-fitted solution for a specific patient’s eyes. He has also been certified for the J&J Catalys laser that is used for femtosecond cataract surgery.

Those who are interested in learning more about LASIK for astigmatism can check out the Las Vegas Eye Institute website or contact them on the phone or through email.