Astigmatism treatment with Laser Istanbul Clinic starts with measuring your eyes, not with choosing a machine. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Satıcı or Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram examines your corneas in Istanbul and recommends laser eye surgery, a toric implantable lens or a toric lens replacement, depending on your prescription, your corneas and your age. You see the full price in writing before you travel, and a personal interpreter stays with you from your first scan to your final check-up.
Astigmatism means the cornea or lens is curved more like a rugby ball than a football, so light focuses at more than one point and vision blurs. Glasses or contact lenses correct it; laser eye surgery can correct it permanently, usually up to about 6 dioptres, by reshaping the cornea in the same treatment as short or long sight. Higher astigmatism can be treated with a toric lens implant. In Istanbul, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Satıcı or Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram treats it from {{£ price}} for both eyes; hotel and transfers are extra.
Astigmatism is one of the most common eye conditions: an imperfection in the curve of the cornea (the clear front window of the eye) or of the lens inside it. The NHS describes the eye as "shaped more like a rugby ball than a football", so light is focused at more than one place instead of at a single sharp point on the retina. It is not an eye disease, and in most people it is harmless.
How common is it? A 2018 global meta-analysis in the Journal of Current Ophthalmology found astigmatism in about 40% of adults and 15% of children, making it the most common refractive error worldwide. It usually occurs together with short-sightedness or long-sightedness, according to the NHS.
What astigmatism vision looks like. The US National Eye Institute (NEI) lists the typical symptoms as:
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) adds "areas of distorted vision" and eye discomfort. Many people describe letters with shadows or edges that smear in one direction. With mild astigmatism you may notice nothing at all, which is why it is often found only at a routine eye test.
Regular and irregular astigmatism. Your surgeon will tell you which type you have, because it decides your treatment:
| Type | What it means | How it is usually treated |
|---|---|---|
| Regular astigmatism | The two main curves of the cornea sit at right angles, like a rugby ball. Most astigmatism is this type. | Glasses, toric contact lenses, laser eye surgery, toric ICL or toric lens |
| Irregular astigmatism | The curves are uneven or not at right angles, often because of keratoconus, scarring or previous surgery | Rigid contact lenses, corneal cross-linking for keratoconus; standard laser is usually not suitable |
EyeWiki (the AAO's clinical encyclopaedia) explains that regular astigmatism is further described by its axis: "with-the-rule" (common in children), "against-the-rule" (the most common type in adults over 40) and "oblique". You will see the axis on your glasses prescription as a number between 0 and 180, next to the "cylinder" (CYL) value that shows how much astigmatism you have.
What causes it? Nobody knows exactly why corneas differ in shape. The NEI says some people are born with astigmatism and others develop it in childhood or young adulthood; an eye injury, eye disease or surgery can also cause it. The AAO calls it a myth that reading in low light or sitting close to the television causes astigmatism or makes it worse. Astigmatism can change gradually over the years: it may worsen, improve or stay the same.
When it needs checking soon. The NHS advises an eye test if you have symptoms or have not had one for two years, partly because astigmatism can be linked to keratoconus, a thinning and bulging of the cornea. Untreated astigmatism in children can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye), according to the AAO. Astigmatism that keeps increasing year after year, especially in teenagers and young adults, should be checked with a corneal scan.
Lights at night are where astigmatism is most noticeable. Because an astigmatic eye focuses light at more than one point, a small bright source such as a headlight, street lamp or traffic light is not seen as a sharp dot. It spreads into a streak, a smear in one direction, a starburst or a halo. The AAO notes that anything which prevents light focusing sharply on the retina can cause glare and halos, and the NEI lists trouble seeing at night as a core symptom of astigmatism.
Astigmatism lights vs normal vision:
| A light at night seen with… | What it typically looks like |
|---|---|
| Normal vision (or well-corrected astigmatism) | A sharp point of light with, at most, a small natural glow |
| Uncorrected astigmatism | Streaks or rays stretched in one direction, starbursts, halos, sometimes a doubled or "ghost" image |
| Other causes (cataract, dry eye) | Glare and halos that do not follow one direction; worth an eye examination |
Astigmatism glasses for night driving. The most useful "night driving glasses" are simply your up-to-date prescription with the correct cylinder and axis. The AAO advises against tinted or yellow "night-driving" lenses, because anything that reduces the light reaching your eyes at night makes it harder to see, not easier. It does say that anti-reflective coatings reduce glare and are especially helpful for people bothered by headlights at night. Clean glasses, a clean windscreen and clean headlights help too. If lights still look streaky with your current glasses, your prescription may have changed; if you also notice glare, faded colours or blurred vision during the day, a cataract may be developing.
Astigmatism halos around lights after surgery. Glare and halos at night are also a known, usually temporary side effect of laser eye surgery (see the risks section below), so your surgeon will ask about night vision before and after treatment.
Astigmatism treatment is either correction (glasses or contact lenses that compensate every day) or surgery that changes the eye's focusing permanently. The NEI notes that glasses or contact lenses are the most common treatment and that mild astigmatism may need none at all. Surgery suits adults who want to stop depending on glasses or contacts.
| Option | How it corrects astigmatism | Usually suits | Permanent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glasses | A "cylindrical" lens with extra power in one direction cancels out the uneven curve | Everyone; the NHS calls them the cheapest option | No |
| Toric soft or rigid (RGP) contact lenses | Toric lenses stay aligned on the eye; rigid lenses create a smooth new front surface | Toric: regular astigmatism. Rigid: higher or irregular astigmatism, where the AAO says they may work best | No |
| Laser eye surgery (Femto-LASIK, SMILE Pro, PRK, Trans-PRK) | Reshapes the cornea so both main curves focus at the same point | Adults over 18 with a stable prescription, healthy corneas and astigmatism within the laser range | Yes, although eyes keep ageing |
| Toric ICL (implantable lens) | A lens with built-in astigmatism correction placed inside the eye, in front of your natural lens | Short sight with astigmatism, especially high prescriptions or thin corneas | Yes, and removable |
| Toric lens replacement (RLE or cataract surgery) | Your natural lens is replaced with a toric artificial lens | Usually over about 45–50, or anyone with cataract | Yes |
| Limbal relaxing incisions | Small curved incisions at the edge of the cornea relax the steep curve | Lower astigmatism, usually during cataract surgery | Yes |
| Corneal cross-linking | Stiffens a weak cornea; does not remove astigmatism | Progressive keratoconus | Stops progression |
The NHS notes that laser and lens surgery for astigmatism are not available on the NHS, so UK patients pay privately wherever they are treated.
Laser eye surgery for astigmatism reshapes the cornea so that its steep and flat curves focus light at the same point. It is not a separate operation: the RCOphth (Royal College of Ophthalmologists) explains that laser vision correction treats short sight, long sight and astigmatism, and your astigmatism is corrected in the same treatment as the rest of your prescription, usually in about half an hour for both eyes.
Why alignment matters so much. Astigmatism has a direction (the axis), so the laser must be lined up with your eye's exact rotation. EyeWiki notes that the eye can rotate by about 2–4 degrees when you move from sitting up to lying down for surgery. Modern lasers correct for this: EyeWiki describes eye-tracker and iris-registration technology that keeps the treatment centred and corrects this "cyclotorsion" during LASIK, and the VisuMax 800 laser used for SMILE Pro has a dedicated assistant for cyclotorsion correction. This is one reason your surgeon measures your eyes sitting up before treatment.
Technology we use: {{femtosecond laser platform name}} and {{excimer laser platform name}}, with eye tracking and cyclotorsion compensation, in a fully equipped, Ministry of Health–licensed operating theatre in Istanbul. Before that, your examination includes corneal topography and tomography (to confirm your astigmatism is regular), corneal thickness, a full refraction and a dry-eye check.
You are most likely to be suitable for laser eye surgery for astigmatism if you are over 18, your prescription has been stable (no change greater than 0.5 dioptres in the last two years) and your astigmatism is up to ±6.00 D, the usual range given by the RCOphth. The same guidance gives up to −10.00 D of short sight and up to +4.00 D of long sight. Your surgeon decides only after measuring your eyes.
Matching the method to your eyes:
| Your situation | Often recommended |
|---|---|
| Regular astigmatism within the laser range, healthy corneas of normal thickness | Femto-LASIK or SMILE Pro |
| Thinner corneas, contact sports, preference for no flap | PRK / LASEK, Trans-PRK or SMILE Pro |
| High short sight with astigmatism, or corneas too thin for laser | Toric ICL. In the US the toric ICL is approved for 1.0–4.0 D of astigmatism together with short sight, according to EyeWiki |
| Over about 45–50, reading glasses, or early cataract | Toric lens replacement. EyeWiki gives a typical correction of about 0.75–4.75 D of corneal astigmatism with toric lenses |
| Irregular astigmatism, keratoconus or a changing cornea | Not standard laser. Review by our cornea specialist, Doç. Dr. Muhammet Derda Özer: rigid lenses, cross-linking or other corneal treatment |
Laser is usually not the right choice if you have keratoconus or a cornea whose shape suggests it, a cornea too thin for safe treatment, severe dry eye, cataract, active eye infection or inflammation, uncontrolled diabetes or autoimmune disease, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
How precise is the result? EyeWiki summarises a systematic review in which a median of 92% of eyes treated with LASIK for short sight or short-sighted astigmatism were within 1.00 D of the intended correction. Results are less predictable at the top of the range, which is why very high astigmatism is often better treated with a toric lens.
Before your examination, stop wearing contact lenses. Toric lenses for astigmatism change the shape of the cornea for weeks. The US FDA advises stopping soft lenses 2 weeks before, toric soft or rigid gas-permeable lenses at least 3 weeks before, and hard lenses at least 4 weeks before your first evaluation. Your coordinator confirms the timing for your lenses.
At Laser Istanbul Clinic, laser eye surgery for astigmatism starts from {{£ price}} for both eyes. Astigmatism does not usually add a separate charge; the price depends on the method your surgeon recommends. A toric ICL starts from {{£ toric ICL price per eye}} and toric lens replacement from {{£ toric lens price per eye}}. Your surgeon confirms your exact price in writing after reviewing your prescription and scans, before you book anything.
Typical published prices (2025–26):
| Treatment | UK private | Germany private | USA | Istanbul (typical published) | Laser Istanbul Clinic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Femto-LASIK, both eyes | £3,000–5,600 | €2,400–4,600 | $4,000–6,000 | about $1,450–2,700 | from {{£ price}} |
| SMILE / SMILE Pro, both eyes | £4,400–7,600 | €2,800–5,200 | $5,000–8,000 | about $2,000–3,450 | from {{£ price}} |
| ICL, per eye | about $3,350–8,700 | from about $2,900 | $3,500–9,000 | about $1,800–3,500 | from {{£ toric ICL price per eye}} |
Typical ranges published by clinics and price-comparison sites in 2025–26, not quotes. ICL figures are in US dollars and are for ICLs in general, not toric lenses specifically. Published Istanbul prices are often packages that include a hotel.
Not included: flights, hotel and airport transfers. Hotel and transfers are a separate charge, and we can arrange them for you if you ask.
Send your glasses prescription (including the CYL and AXIS values) and any eye reports or scans. A surgeon tells you which treatment is likely to suit you and sends a written quote within {{response time}}.
Plan 3–5 days in Istanbul for Femto-LASIK or SMILE Pro; surface treatments and lens surgery usually need a few more days. Your coordinator confirms the length for your treatment.
Corneal topography and thickness, refraction with and without dilating drops, a dry-eye assessment and a retina check, with your surgeon and interpreter. If laser is not right for you, your surgeon explains why and what the alternatives are.
Numbing drops are used and a small clip keeps your eyelids open. For laser, you look at a target light while the laser works; both eyes usually take about half an hour in total, and you return to your hotel the same day.
Your surgeon examines both eyes.
Most patients can fly 1–3 days after Femto-LASIK or SMILE, once their surgeon has checked their eyes. Your coordinator stays in touch, and your surgeon reviews your progress by video at agreed intervals.
Gritty, watery, light-sensitive eyes. Rest with your eyes closed and use lubricating drops.
After Femto-LASIK, vision is usually much clearer and many people return to work the next day. After PRK or LASEK, the eye is sore for several days and vision clears more slowly.
Do not rub your eyes. No swimming. Use your drops exactly as prescribed.
Contact sports can restart after LASIK, not before.
Night glare, halos and dryness usually improve.
Vision may fluctuate slightly before it settles; most changes after three months are very small.
Do not drive until your surgeon confirms that your vision meets the driving standard. Call your coordinator straight away if you have increasing pain, redness or blurred vision.
Laser eye surgery for astigmatism carries the same risks as laser eye surgery in general. The RCOphth reports that over 95% of patients are satisfied with the outcome, but no surgery is risk-free.
Your surgeon explains your personal risks in writing and through your interpreter before you sign anything.
Yes. Laser eye surgery corrects astigmatism by reshaping the cornea, usually up to about ±6.00 dioptres according to the RCOphth, in the same treatment as short or long sight. It is suitable only for regular astigmatism in a healthy, stable cornea. Your surgeon confirms this with corneal scans.
The best treatment is the one that fits your eyes. For most adults with regular astigmatism and healthy corneas, that is laser eye surgery. For very high astigmatism or thin corneas, a toric ICL may be better; from about 45–50, or with cataract, a toric lens replacement. Prof. Dr. Satıcı or Op. Dr. Bayram recommends one only after your examination.
With Laser Istanbul Clinic, laser eye surgery for astigmatism starts from {{£ price}} for both eyes, including your examination, surgery, medication, follow-up checks, interpreter and coordinator. Hotel and transfers are extra. Toric ICL and toric lens prices are quoted per eye after your assessment.
Astigmatism itself does not change from hour to hour, but tired eyes make blur and eye strain more noticeable. EyeWiki reports that long spells of reading with your eyes looking down can shift the cornea's curve by about 0.25 D in 15 minutes, which recovers within 30–60 minutes. Over years, astigmatism can slowly change, so update your glasses if your vision feels worse.
Tinted or yellow "night-driving glasses" do not help: the AAO warns that reducing light at night makes it harder to see. What helps is an up-to-date prescription that corrects your astigmatism, with an anti-reflective coating to reduce headlight glare. If lights still look streaky, have your eyes tested.
An astigmatic eye focuses light at more than one point, so a small bright light spreads into streaks, rays or a halo instead of a sharp dot. It is most noticeable at night. Correcting the astigmatism with glasses, contact lenses or surgery usually makes lights look sharper again.
For most people, no. Astigmatism is a very common refractive error, found in about 40% of adults, and glasses or contact lenses correct it in most cases. Irregular astigmatism caused by keratoconus or scarring can reduce vision more seriously and needs specialist care.
The reshaping is permanent, but eyes can change with age, and a small amount of astigmatism can remain or return, especially after high corrections. A touch-up is often possible if enough corneal thickness remains. Lens replacement later in life can also correct astigmatism with a toric lens.
The RCOphth gives up to ±6.00 D as the usual range, but your surgeon also looks at your total prescription and corneal thickness. Above this, or with thin corneas, a toric ICL or toric lens replacement is often more predictable.
Plan 3–5 days for Femto-LASIK or SMILE Pro. Surface laser and lens surgery usually need a few more days. Your coordinator confirms the exact length once your surgeon has chosen your treatment.
I recently had LASIK surgery with Dr. Derda Özer. I had high myopia and mild astigmatism in both eyes; I was a bit worried, but the surgery went smoothly. […] It's been 48 hours since I had LASIK, and now I can see clearly with vision better than 20/20.
Source: WUPDoc · translated from Turkish
All laser methods can treat astigmatism; the RCOphth notes that visual results at three months are equally good for all types of laser vision correction. The differences are recovery, comfort and which corneas each suits.
| Femto-LASIK | SMILE Pro / ReLEx SMILE | PRK / LASEK / no-touch Trans-PRK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astigmatism treated | Short-sighted, long-sighted and mixed | Short-sighted astigmatism | Short-sighted, long-sighted and mixed |
| Visual recovery | Fastest; often back to work the next day | Slightly slower than LASIK | Slowest; a week or longer before driving standard |
| Often chosen for | Most prescriptions with normal corneal thickness | Active lifestyles, contact sports, no flap | Thinner corneas, flap-free preference |
Blade-free LASIK with the fastest visual recovery.
LASIK & Femto-LASIK in IstanbulFlap-free keyhole laser through a small opening.
SMILE Pro in Istanbul (VisuMax 800)Surface treatment without a flap, often for thinner corneas.
PRK / LASEK in IstanbulSend us your glasses prescription and any eye reports. Prof. Dr. Satıcı or Op. Dr. Bayram will tell you whether laser, a toric ICL or a toric lens suits your astigmatism, and what it would cost, with no obligation.
Your case is reviewed by a named surgeon, not a salesperson. Reply within {{response time}}.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Satıcı
Doç. Dr. Muhammet Derda Özer
Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram
