Astigmatism & Lens Implants for Cataracts

“Astigmatism is a common eye problem that needs to be corrected in order to get the best vision correction results from cataract surgery,” commented Gregory Hofeldt, M.D.,Ophthalmologist & Cataract Surgeon at Center for Sight in Fall River, Massachusetts. “Most cataract patients know from their eye exams or eyeglass prescriptions that they have some amount of astigmatism. But, sometimes cataract patients don’t realize that it is important for their cataract surgeon to correct that astigmatism in order to get the best visual results for them,” explained Dr Hofeldt.

Astigmatism is a 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,” explained Dr. Hofeldt. 

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 astigmatismcorrecting toric lens implant in which the astigmatism correction is incorporated into the lens prescription just as in eyeglasses. “Toric lensimplants 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. Hofeldt.

If you or someone you know has cataracts or is considering cataract surgery and has astigmatism and would like to learn more about astigmatism correction after cataract surgery, please call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located for patients wishing to learn more about cataracts, cataract surgery and toric lens implants for astigmatism in Massachusetts or Rhode Island from Attleboro, Fairhaven, Fall River, Franklin, Mansfield, Marion, Mattapoisett, Medfield, Milford, New Bedford, North Attleboro, North Dartmouth, Norton, Oxford, Rehobeth, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Walpole, Whitinsville, Woonsocket, Providence, Smithfield, Westport, Lakeville, Dighton, Little Compton and Tiverton.