1.     Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)

LASIK eye surgery is the most popular choice of eye surgery for those who have astigmatism.  The operation will involve having a thin flap created on your eye and then the ophthalmologist will fold it in order to be able to remodel the tissue beneath the flap with a laser.  The flap is then repositioned and your eye will have time to heal during your post-operation.

2.     Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK)

The main purpose of PRK is to reduce the patient’s dependency on glasses and/or contacts.  PRK permanently changes the shape of your cornea by using a laser, much like LASIK surgery.  This particular type of surgery has a limited healing time and there will be no loss of clarity between your operation and during your post-operation.

3.     Laser Epithelial Keratomileusis (LASEK)

LASEK surgery and PRK are almost the exact same surgery due to the fact that the astigmatism correction is done by using the same technique.  Although they are almost identical, there are still minor differences between them.  During PRK surgery, the epithelium layer is removed but during LASEK it isn’t, instead they use an alcoholic solution to cause the cells in the epithelium to deteriorate and then the surgeon will fold it back by hand instead of using a laser.

4.     Laser Thermo Keratoplasty (LTK)

LTK is commonly known as a laser refractive surgery that uses absolutely no contact.  They use a laser to place a ring of laser burns on your cornea and they make the cornea steepen so that the eye can focus better.  Over time, the procedure may deteriorate and so you may slowly be brought back to your original astigmatism vision.

Choosing the best toric contact lens for your astigmatism can prove to be quite a difficult choice. Just searching through the wide range of options that are available can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed.

This is where we can help.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing your astigmatism contacts such as; the severity of your condition, cost, daily disposable lenses or monthly disposable lenses.

If your astigmatism condition is severe then you would be better to choose a monthly disposable toric contact lens, as these can offer correction up to 2.50D, where as daily disposable toric lenses only correct up to 1.75D.

Whichever toric lens you choose it is always advisable to go with a branded lens, as these companies have expertise in their field and you will also be getting the peace of mind that the product will be of the highest quality.

There are a number of different brands to choose from, all of which come with their own price tag.
AirOptix toric lenses start from around £14.55 per box and are a good well know brand, they have a unique featuire which allows extra oxygen to pass through to the eye, this results in a better user experience and added comfort throughout the day.

Acuvue also does a toric lens which costs around £21.99 per box. Their contact lenses feature an Accelerated Stabilisation Design technology, this works by using your natural blink reflex to keep your lens in its correct position.

Above all your first point of call should be with your optician, they will be able to tell you the severity of your condition and also recommend different types of lenses which will be suitable for your astigmatism.

It is highly advisable to have a check up at least once every twelve months to check for any changes in your condition and to ensure that you are using the best contact lenses for your astigmatism.