In most cases, LASIK can completely correct astigmatism, and the results are permanent. However LASIK may not be recommended for people with high astigmatism. When a patient is seen for a LASIK evaluation their eyes are examined using a corneal topographer, this enables the eye doctor to determine if the patient is a good fit for LASIK eye surgery. While astigmatism may sound scary, it is simply a refractive error like nearsightedness or farsightedness, which can be corrected by LASIK surgery. For LASIK surgery, highly accurate lasers are used to reshape the cornea, which results in a more symmetrical front surface of the eye, eliminating astigmatism-related vision problems.