What are the alternatives to treating astigmatism?
Treating astigmatism is slightly more complex than treating either myopia or hyperopia because astigmatism requires correction in more than one plane. Think of myopia or hyperopia as an eye that is simply ‘out of tune’ – like a poorly focused telescope. Astigmatism on the other hand is more akin to distorted glass – any correction must take account of every astigmatic distortion. Optometrists traditionally have treated astigmatism by the use of cylindrical lenses, in the form of either glasses or contact lenses. In the hands of a laser eye surgeon, it is possible to correct astigmatic vision using LASIK or PRK.
