Jules Stein Eye Institute
UCLA Laser Refractive Center
100 Stein Plaza
Los Angeles, California 90095
(310) 825-2737
(310) UC LASER lrc@jsei.ucla.edu
Astigmatic Keratotomy (AK)
Astigmatic Keratotomy
(AK) is a refractive surgical procedure that
is used to correct astigmatism. When the shape
of the cornea is more curved in one direction
than the other, light entering the cornea focuses
in several points within the eye resulting in
blurry and distorted vision. To treat astigmatism
with AK, incisions are strategically placed
on the steepest part of the cornea, causing
it to relax and become more spherical or round.
This allows light to focus more precisely on
the retina, causing vision to become sharper
and clearer. AK takes minutes to perform and
can be used alone or in conjunction with other
refractive procedures.
Topography
map shows vertically-oriented corneal
astigmatism as a
bow-tie of red and yellow
After astigmatic
keratotomy, corneal astigmatism is virtually
eliminated.
Key
features of AK
a surgical option to
correct astigmatism
can be performed alone
or with other refractive surgical procedures
