Cataracts & Lens Implants for Astigmatism

Lens Implants for astigmatism offer cataract patients an excellent opportunity to see clearly at distance after cataract surgery without eyeglasses. Indiana Cataract Surgeon Scott Buck, M.D. of Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center in Valparaiso, IN. commented on correcting astigmatism after cataract surgery with toric lens implants. “Most cataract patients know from their eye exams or eyeglass prescriptions that they have some amount of astigmatism. However, sometimes they don’t realize that it is important for their cataract surgeon to correct that astigmatism in order to get the best visual results after cataract surgery,” explained Dr. Buck.

Astigmatism is a common refractive eye condition that that is most often due to an uneven curvature of the cornea. If the cornea were perfectly shaped, it would have a spherical round even shape, like a basketball. In eyes that have astigmatism, the cornea is typically curved more like an oblong, football-like shape, similar to the shape of the back of a teaspoon. “Depending on the degree and orientation of the unequal curvatures, astigmatism can cause mild or even severe blurry vision,” further explained Dr. Buck.

Patients with cataracts and who are in need of cataract surgery have three choices when considering how to correct their astigmatism. First, patients can simply choose to be dependent on wearing eyeglasses after cataract surgery in order to correct astigmatism. Second, if appropriate, some patients may opt to have an additional surgical procedure called Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI) or third, patients can elect have an astigmatism correcting toric lens implant in which the astigmatism correction is incorporated into the lens prescription just as in eyeglasses. “Toric lens implants are placed in the eye in exactly the same manner as ordinary lens implants at the time of cataract surgery and correct the astigmatism as part of the cataract surgery operation,” further explained Dr. Buck.

If you or someone you know has cataracts or is considering cataract surgery, and has astigmatism please feel free to learn more about astigmatism correction after cataract surgery by calling Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 522 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.