LASIK eye surgery for astigmatism in Chicago, IL

What is astigmatism?

Many people hear the word “astigmatism” but aren’t entirely sure what that means. The cornea is the clear dome that sits in front of the colored part of your eye. Sometimes starting at birth, or developing later in life, the shape of the cornea can change and affect the quality of your vision. Corneal astigmatism is a fairly common refractive error. When the shape, or curvature, of the cornea is not ideal, this affects how the light hits the retina. For optimal vision, the light needs to hit the retina creating one focal point. When you have an astigmatism, the light is hitting in two separate spots and thereby creating two focal points. When determining if someone is a good candidate for LASIK surgery and they have an astigmatism, we must first look at whether the astigmatism is regular. There are some patients who have irregular astigmatism which can sometimes disqualify them from having LASER eye surgery. Corneal astigmatism should not be confused with lenticular astigmatism.

Can LASIK fix astigmatism?

Astigmatism is a fairly common type of refractive error and in many circumstances can be treated with LASIK surgery. There are some patients, although rare, whose level of astigmatism disqualifies them from being a good candidate for surgery. The shape of the astigmatism is also an important factor that is looked at prior to surgery. The best way to determine if your astigmatism is treatable is to have you come in for a no-cost, no-obligation, consultation.

LASIK vision correction procedure for astigmatism

LASIK surgery is a two-step process. The first step is where Dr. Kraff uses a LASER to create a thin flap on the surface of the cornea. Once created Dr. Kraff will lift the flap and use another LASER to remove a microscopic amount of tissue from the cornea. The removal of tissue is customized based on the patient’s exact, specific, structural characteristics. Once removed, Dr. Kraff will realign the flap back over the eye and the flap will naturally adhere to the cornea over the next several days.

Why choose the Kraff Eye Institute for LASIK?

There is no practice in the Chicago area that has been doing LASIK surgery longer than the Kraff Eye Institute. Dr. Colman Kraff has been at the forefront of LASIK since its inception and participated in the 1991 FDA clinical trials which helped to get LASIK approved in 1997. Over the past 3 decades, Dr. Kraff has participated in numerous studies to help further advance LASIK surgery. At our practice, we utilize the iDesign 2.0 software. This software is the most advanced, highest definition, way of mapping the cornea. This technology also allows us to treat patients with high levels of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

How will I know if LASIK is right for me?

There are many factors that must be looked at when determining if surgery is a safe option for you. After performing several sets of screening measurements, Dr. Kraff will review all data and discuss with you if surgery is a safe option.