I am a firm believer in correcting astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery. Nearly 40% of patients undergoing cataract surgery in the U.S. have significant astigmatism, greater than 1 D, and the prevalence increases with age.
Although many surgeons focus on presbyopia-correcting IOLs, there is also significant value to simply correcting astigmatism. It can mean that patients pay much less for their glasses after surgery and are not dependent on astigmatic spectacles, which may be a contributor to fall risk. Even correcting lower amounts of astigmatism with incisions has (Read more...)