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Disclaimer

This website is only for basic information. It is not to be considered medical advice or a substitute for obtaining your own medical consultation, during which you will be informed also about possible risks, side effects and restrictions of refractive & cataract surgery. Not all treatment options are approved or offered in every country and approved labeling and instructions may vary from one country to another. This site is also not intended for patients and healthcare providers residing in the United States of America and Japan.

LASIK for astigmatism

Can glares and halos be treated?

If you experience blurred vision or encounter halos or glare when looking at light, particularly at night, you may have astigmatism. Astigmatism is a common condition which occurs when either the front surface of the eye (the cornea) or the lens inside the eye has mismatched curves. Incoming light is therefore refracted unevenly and images arrive at the back of your eye unfocused. Blurry vision due to astigmatism can cause headaches or eye fatigue when you focus on distant objects or work with screens or monitors for a long time.
LASIK is often used to treat astigmatism and, along with other vision correction procedures such as lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE, can represent an option to improve your sight. Laser vision correction can be particularly effective if your astigmatism is associated with other conditions, such as near- or farsightedness, as it can correct multiple sight problems in a single procedure.

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Woman reading comfortably in natural light, representing sharp, unaided vision after ZEISS SMILE pro treatment.

Myopia or hyperopia with astigmatism

With myopia, also called nearsightedness, you cannot clearly see objects that are far away, whereas hyperopia (farsightedness) means distant objects are in focus, but things nearby are blurry. Both conditions can impact people of any age.
It is not uncommon for myopia or hyperopia to be accompanied by astigmatism. The cause of astigmatism is not clear, and people of all ages can suffer from it. If left untreated, it could lead to amblyopia (sometimes referred to as “lazy eye”), where your brain prefers input from one eye over another.
If you have astigmatism with myopia or hyperopia, laser vision correction such as LASIK or ZEISS SMILE pro may be a solution to improve your vision.

Patient and eye doctor in a consultation setting, reviewing diagnostic results and discussing suitable refractive treatment options like ZEISS SMILE, ZEISS SMILE pro, ZEISS PRESBYOND, LASIK, or PRK.

Laser vision correction specialists near you

If you want to know more about treating your astigmatism with LASIK, talk to your eye doctor about your options. Together with your doctor, you can discuss laser vision correction procedures like LASIK, lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE or other treatments and determine which ones are right for you.
As an alternative to LASIK, lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE is an advanced laser vision correction procedure offered by many clinics and hospitals around the world. Using the ZEISS SMILE technology, your ophthalmic surgeon corrects your eyesight by making a small incision to remove a lenticule from your cornea. As a result of this, recovery times are usually shorter.

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Your eye doctor can help you find the best treatment option for your specific eye condition.
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Frequently asked questions

  • If you are wondering if astigmatism can be treated with LASIK, the answer is usually yes. There is a common misconception that LASIK is not an option for astigmatism. However, the fact is that LASIK has been used for many years to treat most types of astigmatism.

  • As LASIK surgery adjusts the shape of the cornea, it is unsuitable for high levels of astigmatism, which are less common. Furthermore, astigmatism caused by certain rare conditions including keratoconus or pellucid marginal degeneration cannot be corrected by laser eye surgery.

  • It is difficult to put an exact price on laser vision correction as several factors determine the overall cost. However, many patients see LASIK for astigmatism as a long-term investment in their vision. Over the years, surgery costs are easily recouped against the long-term savings made – e.g. by not having to pay for glasses or cover ongoing contact lens subscriptions.

  • Go to our FAQ page

This might also interest you

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  • Man smiling outdoors in a city environment, representing clarity and confidence following PRK laser vision treatment.

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  • Out-of-focus view of sunlit leaves and branches against a bright sky.

    Astigmatism
  • Man in sports gear smiling after vision correction, symbolizing confidence and mobility post lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE pro.

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  • Woman reading comfortably in natural light, representing sharp, unaided vision after ZEISS SMILE pro treatment.

    ZEISS SMILE pro

    Lenticule extraction with SMILE® pro from ZEISS is an advanced laser vision correction treatment. Using ZEISS SMILE pro, your surgeon can treat nearsightedness and farsightedness¹ with or without astigmatism in a minimally invasive procedure – with less than 10 seconds of laser exposure when treating nearsightedness2 and less than 13 seconds when treating farsightedness3.

  • Woman smiling peacefully in a living room setting, reflecting visual independence and comfort post-ZEIS SMILE surgery.

    ZEISS SMILE

    Lenticule extraction with SMILE® from ZEISS is an advanced laser vision correction. Using ZEISS SMILE, your surgeon can correct nearsightedness with or without astigmatism in a minimally invasive procedure.

  • Man smiling outdoors in a city environment, representing clarity and confidence following PRK laser vision treatment.

    PRK

    PRK, developed in the 1980s, was the first laser vision correction procedure and is still used today for certain patients. It can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. While newer techniques like ZEISS SMILE, ZEISS SMILE pro and LASIK are available, PRK remains a trusted option for patients with specific eye conditions.

  • Middle-aged asian woman looking calmly into the camera wearing an apron.

    ZEISS PRESBYOND

    As you age, your vision becomes increasingly blurry up close. This condition is called presbyopia and refers to the natural decline in our eyesight over time. If you are seeking an alternative to glasses or contacts, laser vision correction like ZEISS PRESBYOND may help.

  • Out-of-focus view of sunlit leaves and branches against a bright sky.

    Astigmatism

    If you experience blurry vision, halos, or glare, especially at night, you may have astigmatism. This common condition occurs alongside nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia). While glasses or contact lenses can correct it, laser vision correction offers an alternative solution for treating astigmatism.

  • Man in sports gear smiling after vision correction, symbolizing confidence and mobility post lenticule extraction with ZEISS SMILE pro.

    Treatment comparison

    Explore other options of laser vision correction and how they differ in technique, treatment approach or recovery time. Your eye doctor can help determine the best option for you.

  • 1

    Approved and available in selected markets.

  • 2

    Data on file (unpublished). Myopia with optical zone of 6.5 mm.
  • 3

    Data on file (unpublished). The whole procedure including extracting the lenticule lasts about 5 to 10 minutes per eye.