ASTIGMATISM CORRECTING IOL's
Astigmatism Correcting Lens
Astigmatism is a very common condition that causes blurred or distorted vision due to an irregularly shaped cornea. Depending on how the cornea is shaped, an astigmatism correcting intraocular lens (IOL), also known as a toric IOL, may be used to correct the astigmatism at the same time of cataract surgery. This may make the patient less dependent on glasses or contact lenses for distance vision after surgery. If the patient chooses to use a combination of multifocal /toric IOL, he/she may minimize the need for glasses or contact lenses for near vision as well.
Toric IOL’s are generally used for higher levels of astigmatism, since lower levels can often be corrected with incisions made in the cornea, changing the shape of the cornea. These are called limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs), and can be made with the LenSx laser. Depending on the degree of astigmatism, your surgeon may recommend a toric IOL, LRI or both.
A patient who utilizes a toric IOL at the time of cataract surgery will likely need glasses or contact lenses to read.
