The last big group of people with vision problems who could not get laser eye surgery now can.

        The Cincinnati Eye Institute has installed a software upgrade allowing its laser surgery equipment to help people with “mixed astigmatism,” a condition that affects about 5 percent of people with glasses.

        The installation follows U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval last year.

        Now, laser eye surgery can be performed on those with nearsightedness, farsightedness and all forms of astigmatism, said Dr. Gary Varley, medical director of the Cincinnati Eye Institute Laser Centers.

        Among the first patients to get the new treatment was Lt. Steve Wells, a 36-year-old firefighter for Miami Township in Clermont County, who had surgery Feb. 18.

        “I've worn glasses since I was 7. This is great!” said Lt. Wells.

        He said he never could get comfortable wearing hard contact lenses or recently developed weighted soft contact lenses designed for astigmatism. So, when he went on fire runs, he used a set of lenses that could clip into his mask.

        “A lot of times in a fire, you can't see anything anyway, but every once in a while those lenses would fall out,” Lt. Wells said.

        Astigmatism refers to an irregular curve of the cornea. Rather than a circular curve, an astigmatism causes more of an egg shape.

        A flattened tip of the egg can cause nearsightedness. Steeper-than-usual sides of the egg can cause farsightedness, Dr. Varley said.

        People with mixed astigmatism have both problems. Treatment requires a laser that can be programmed to adjust to the changing cornea shape as it moves across the eye.

        The FDA approved laser equipment made by Visx Inc., the equipment used at Cincinnati Eye Institute. The Visx laser and the LADARVision system made by Alcon Summit Autonomous are among the few laser systems to win approval for use in mixed astigmatism.

        Laser eye surgery still will not work with extremely irregularly shaped corneas. It also will not work on presbyopia (the need for reading glasses after the age of 40).

        Lt. Wells said his surgery cost nearly $3,300 for both eyes, a fee that included a year of follow-up care. Fees can vary widely among laser surgery centers, which offer a variety of laser equipment.

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