Key takeaways

  • LASIK surgery can be a viable option for people with mild to moderate astigmatism, potentially reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contacts.
  • Eligibility for LASIK depends on factors beyond just astigmatism, including the overall health of your eyes, the degree of your refractive error, and certain health conditions.
  • While LASIK has a high satisfaction rate, potential risks and side effects like dry eyes, blurry vision, and night vision issues should be carefully discussed with a doctor.

You can be a candidate for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) if you have mild to moderate astigmatism, including near and farsightedness.

LASIK is a type of laser surgery that corrects your vision by altering the shape of your cornea. Successful procedures can eliminate your need to wear glasses or contacts.

Astigmatism occurs when your cornea, or eye lens, is misshapen. It may be more oval-shaped rather than round. This creates focusing problems in your retina.

Objects in your sightline may be blurry because your eyes cannot focus light when you have astigmatism. Your condition can get better or worse over time.

Some signs that you have astigmatism are when you:

  • have blurry vision that is possibly worse at night
  • need to squint to see
  • have eye pain
  • experience headaches

You may have the condition without even knowing it, as the symptoms are often subtle. Children and adults can have astigmatism.

LASIK is a procedure that uses a laser to reshape the cornea, correcting refractive eye conditions. It has been around for several decades.

Mild and moderate refractive eye conditions can be treated with LASIK. Sometimes it may even help severe vision impairments.

It doesn’t require a hospital stay and can be performed within 30 minutes in a doctor’s office. It is one type of laser corrective eye surgery.

A 2023 study evaluating patient-reported outcomes following one subtype of LASIK found that 100% of participants reported maximum overall vision satisfaction 3 months post-surgery.

According to a 2020 research review, studies conclude that LASIK is “effective and predictable” for correcting vision for low to moderate astigmatism.

Pros

  • Improved vision.
  • There may be no need to wear glasses or contacts.

Cons

  • Risks of the procedure include dry eyes, blurry vision, impaired vision at night, glare in your eyesight, infection, and surgical complications.
  • The possibility of an unsuccessful surgery may require you to continue to wear glasses or contacts.
  • Vision changes over time may require you to get additional vision correction.
  • Often insurance or original Medicare does not cover the costs of the elective procedure.

There are guidelines that can help determine who’s a good candidate for LASIK based on vision measurements, which for astigmatism is measured in “diopters (D).”

You may be eligible for LASIK if you have 6 or fewer diopters of astigmatism, if the astigmatism is regular, and if your cornea is healthy.

You may have nearsightedness or farsightedness, which can also affect your eligibility for LASIK.

You cannot have more than -12D if you are nearsighted or +6D if you are farsighted to be eligible for this procedure.

Key terms

Vision strength is measured in diopters, which are noted on your eyeglass or contact prescription. If the numbers are marked with a plus sign (+) or no sign, you’re farsighted. If the numbers are marked with a minus sign (-), you’re nearsighted.

If your prescription reads -1.00, that means your eyeglasses or contacts need 1 diopter of strength to correct nearsightedness.

If your prescription reads +2.50, your eyeglasses need 2.5 diopters of strength to correct farsightedness. The higher the number, the more correction your vision needs.

Your eyesight measurements are not the only factors that determine whether you are a good candidate for LASIK. Other factors include:

  • your goals for vision correction
  • the overall health of your eyes, such as the thickness of the cornea
  • the moisture content in your eyes
  • stable eyesight that has not changed significantly in the last year
  • your age (you must be 18 or older)
  • your health status (those with conditions like autoimmune diseases or diabetes may not be eligible)
  • whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Your doctor will take these factors into consideration in appointments leading up to the procedure.

Your doctor should conduct an eye exam before determining your eligibility. This may include measuring the moisture in your eyes.

Learn more on LASIK surgery

Find out more about what to expect and what recovery may be for LASIK procedures, especially if your surgery is aimed at treating astigmatism.

LASIK is an outpatient procedure that a doctor can perform in about 30 minutes. You remain awake during it, but the doctor may administer a sedative to help calm your body.

You will also receive numbing eye drops in your eyes so you are not bothered by the equipment needed to stabilize and operate on your eye.

The LASIK procedure for astigmatism involves reshaping your cornea. A misshapen bend of the cornea causes astigmatism. Eyes without astigmatism have an evenly rounded surface like a basketball.

Eyes with astigmatism have a curve that is longer in one part, like a football. LASIK will smooth this curve, making it more evenly rounded.

You may also receive correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness during the procedure. This can involve flattening or steepening the cornea.

After your doctor has altered your cornea as intended, they will close the initial flap. This incision will heal over time.

It may take 3 to 6 months for your vision to stabilize following the procedure. During that time, you may experience glare or blurriness.

The cost of LASIK surgery varies depending on your location, the doctor performing the procedure, and the specific type of procedure. This typically ranges from $1,000 to $3,000 per eye.

Health insurance plans usually do not cover elective procedures for vision correction, such as LASIK. You’ll need to pay out of pocket unless you have a medical reason why glasses or contact lenses can’t correct your vision.

Many insurance companies offer discounts or savings programs. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), you may be able to use funds from these accounts to cover some or all of your costs for the procedure.

When to consult a doctor

You should consult an eye and vision specialist if you have a refractive eye condition, such as astigmatism, regardless of how you choose to treat it.

LASIK may be a good option if you prefer not to wear glasses or contacts. You can make a special appointment to discuss this with a doctor or bring it up at your annual eye exam.

Speak with your doctor regularly following your LASIK procedure. Contact them if you experience any painful or unexpected symptoms or changes in your vision.

Astigmatism is an eye condition that can be corrected with LASIK surgery. It’s a refractive eye condition that occurs because of an unusual bend of your cornea.

LASIK surgery can change the shape of your cornea and decrease astigmatism symptoms.

Consult with your doctor to determine if you are a suitable candidate for this procedure. You may be able to correct your vision with LASIK and avoid the need for other forms of vision correction, such as glasses or contacts.