What is astigmatism, and can it be fixed?
In the normal eye, the cornea is curved the same in the horizontal and vertical directions, like a football. When the light rays hit the cornea, they focus at a single point.
In astigmatism, the curve of the cornea is not the same in the horizontal and vertical directions. The cornea looks like a rugby ball, with a steep curve on one side and a flat surface on the other.
As a result, light rays entering the cornea do not focus at a single point, causing distorted vision.
Short-sightedness symptoms
In short-sightedness, distant objects are blurred, while nearby objects can be clear.
How does one get astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a function of the beautiful and infinite variety we see in nature. We see many variations among us, including the shape and size of our eyes. We see astigmatism as a function of this variety. Sometimes, severe forms astigmatism can develop into disease states, like keratoconus, and can further complicate visual issues like a cataract.
What are some options for treating astigmatism?
How James Ball handles astigmatism treatment depends greatly on what associated conditions the patient presents and the type of treatment we plan.
Astigmatism treatmet
We use laser eye surgery (LASIK and ReLEx SMILE ™) to change the shape and curve of the cornea to correct or reduce these types of refractive errors.
With the extensive refractive surgery offered at Custom Vision Clinic, Mr Ball is also able to correct astigmatism with lens replacement surgery. We can achieve this by combining the lens replacement surgery with toric intraocular lenses or limbal relaxing incisions.
Over the last few years, both the measurement of the cornea and the calculations of toric lenses to correct astigmatism have improved. One of the greatest moves forward was the development of the Barrett formula which incorporates the effect of the posterior corneal surface on astigmatism.
Professor Graham Barrett - with whom James worked with ten years ago at the Lion's Eye Institute in Western Australia - devised this formula. The posterior surface of the cornea can now be measured with several devices, and this is a measurement which we undertake routinely on all pre-operative cataract patients and lens replacement at the custom vision clinic.
At Custom Vision Clinic, we have invested in the cataract module of the Pentacam imaging device to obtain this data. Also, we have invested in the latest version of the Lenstar biometry machine from Haag-Streit incorporating all of the latest software to calculate astigmatism correcting lens implants. The latest software includes the RBF-Hill software and also the Barrett formula. The Lenstar also provides us with an alignment image to ensure accurate placement of the toric lens implant inside your eye at the time of surgery.
Custom Vision Clinic has partnered with several of the lens manufacturing companies so that we can incorporate toric astigmatism correcting lens implants into our routine cataract surgery care pathway without any additional cost to our patients.
Toric astigmatism correcting lenses are not routinely available on the NHS. At other private clinics, patients are charged an additional premium for toric astigmatism correcting lenses.
Results at a glance
My eyesight following the operation is brilliant and better than I thought possible, and this is all down to your excellent surgeon Mr James Ball and not to forget all the very dedicated people around him who make these operations possible.
Keith Garlick
Two of the best decisions I ever made in my life were firstly to have lens exchange and secondly to have Mr James Ball carry out my operation.
Patricia Walton
Within minutes I could tell there was a difference. But now, only a couple of months later, my sight is better than it was seven years ago! I can even read the really tiny print on the car sales ads! If you want that confidence you probably felt when you were younger, this is the ideal solution. Thanks to the treatment, I feel rejuvenated, independent and much younger!
John Hazelgreave
Many thanks for all your care and kindness. To me it appears a miracle that I can see so well. I feel very grateful. It is impossible to fully express my thanks.
Grace C.
May I offer grateful thanks for your expertise in operating on my eyes. It was intimated to me that you were the best, and from the results I am now enjoying, I am convinced that this is correct.
Jean D.
You are truly innovative. Thank you very much for curing the problems I have been having with my reading and near vision.
Sala M.
My work was becoming almost impossible. I had refractive lens exchange to both eyes with multifocal lens implants last July. I can now see better than 20/20 for distance and can read the tiniest print in newspapers - all without glasses! I have started reading for pleasure again, and I feel that my performance both at work and on the golf course has improved.
John
Request a callback
Laser eye surgery has changed my life. Now, having had laser, I wake up in the morning and I can see and it’s unbelievable.
Our reviews on Trustpilot
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Discover your eye treatment options
Give us a call on: 0345 643 0466
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Read more about laser eye surgery
Short Sightedness | Myopia
DIFFICULTY WITH SEEING THINGS AT DISTANCE
What is short-sightedness, and can it be fixed?
In the normal eye, the cornea focuses light rays directly on the retina, resulting in clear vision without glasses or contact lenses.
In myopia, or short-sightedness, the eye is longer than normal. In some cases, the cornea may be more curved than normal.
The light rays go through the cornea but come together at a point in front of the retina, and are out of focus on the retina.
Short-sightedness symptoms
In short-sightedness, distant objects are blurred, while nearby objects can be clear.
Short-sightedness causes
You might be surprised that genetics is not the only factor in short-sightedness. Environmental factors also play a role. For example, short-sightedness almost doesn’t exist among members of traditional societies. As soon as you send children to school, however, about 40% of them develop this refractive error. It appears that there might be cells in the retina that respond to environmental demands of modern societies.
What is the best treatment for short-sightedness?
Short-sightedness treatments
We use laser eye surgery (LASIK and ReLEx SMILE ™) to change the shape and curve of the cornea to correct or reduce these types of refractive errors. For patients in whom the cornea is not suitable for LASIK or SMILE ™ we can offer phakic IOL implantation. We can also use phakic IOLs to treat very high levels of short-sightedness.
SMILE ™ has been proven to be safe and effective for short-sightedness up to -10 dioptres. Dioptres are the units of focus in which your spectacle prescription is measured and documented. The spectacle prescription of the eye is 1 divided by the resting focal length of the eye measured in metres. So if the resting focal length of the eye is 50 centimetres (0.5metres) then the prescription of the eye is -2. Short sighted prescriptions have a minus sign at the beginning and long-sighted prescriptions have a plus sign.
SMILE ™ is the subject of research into treating higher prescriptions than -10. Phakic IOLs can comfortably treat up to -18 dioptres of short-sightedness. We have successfully treated patients with even higher prescriptions by combining phakic IOL implantation with LASIK laser surgery three months after the lens implantation.
Results at a glance
My eyesight following the operation is brilliant and better than I thought possible, and this is all down to your excellent surgeon Mr James Ball and not to forget all the very dedicated people around him who make these operations possible.
Keith Garlick
Two of the best decisions I ever made in my life were firstly to have lens exchange and secondly to have Mr James Ball carry out my operation.
Patricia Walton
Within minutes I could tell there was a difference. But now, only a couple of months later, my sight is better than it was seven years ago! I can even read the really tiny print on the car sales ads! If you want that confidence you probably felt when you were younger, this is the ideal solution. Thanks to the treatment, I feel rejuvenated, independent and much younger!
John Hazelgreave
Many thanks for all your care and kindness. To me it appears a miracle that I can see so well. I feel very grateful. It is impossible to fully express my thanks.
Grace C.
May I offer grateful thanks for your expertise in operating on my eyes. It was intimated to me that you were the best, and from the results I am now enjoying, I am convinced that this is correct.
Jean D.
You are truly innovative. Thank you very much for curing the problems I have been having with my reading and near vision.
Sala M.
My work was becoming almost impossible. I had refractive lens exchange to both eyes with multifocal lens implants last July. I can now see better than 20/20 for distance and can read the tiniest print in newspapers - all without glasses! I have started reading for pleasure again, and I feel that my performance both at work and on the golf course has improved.
John
Request a callback
Laser eye surgery has changed my life. Now, having had laser, I wake up in the morning and I can see and it’s unbelievable.
Our reviews on Trustpilot
Further information about eye conditions
Discover your eye treatment options
Give us a call on: 0345 643 0466
Or request a call back:
More Useful Information